Good news on jobs: Now the real work begins

The news that the Government of Oman is to step into the job creation market again is surely greeted with mixed emotions across the Sultanate as each institution, organisation and sector reflects on what this intervention means to each of them. Job-seekers, especially the young, must be overjoyed at the prospect of finding work. However, this is certain to be tempered by the realisation that the jobs they will be offered may not be what they want, exactly. They should however, remain grateful, positive and enthusiastic and be determined to use every opportunity to promote themselves as fully contributing employees.

History, although not necessarily in Oman, or the Middle East, tells us what will work, what may work and what doesn’t work, so we should be mindful of those who have gone before, and learn from their experiences, wherever they are, as in Germany over recent years. They have been one country to cut the number of jobless, in a sustainable manner, and in their follow-up research have found that those given jobs through what appeared to be a harsh programme, are generally very content.

The most effective educational move here in Oman would be to follow the global trend of creating more technical and vocational colleges. The country needs skills at the moment, more than it needs knowledge.

Perhaps in a similar vein, we have a large number of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s), but it is not enough to continue increasing the numbers when what is needed is a bigger market. An effective, busy, outreach centre needs to be established to travel widely and develop international opportunities for SMEs, and especially those working in the areas of hi-tech, environmental science and health, and, believe it or not, the arts and artistic development. These are all skills related.

I get the feeling that some form of job centre, where employees can offer jobs through a generic portal, job-seekers can upload their CVs and review or apply for jobs. The government and employers can advertise job skills workshops, interviews and ‘real world’ advice could be made available to jobseekers via videos, chat rooms and webinars. I would help out, so I’m sure other expats would too.

In 2009, the United States Congress voted $787 billion for job creation subsidies and initiatives. However, that scale of ‘investment’ will not occur again, as among other failings, the realiation that big money could be given to big business to create more jobs, is a simple fallacy. They became more active and aggressive, but ‘sinking lid’ policies, new technologies, actually meant, less jobs. They found it better to focus on the core area of infrastructural development through national construction entities as a more effective policy.

Taxation cuts and small business subsidies are tried and true, and innovative getting the right people into the workplace, but none of these can match the economic benefits of tourism. It only requires, according to economist Kimberly Amadeo, a 2-3 per cent growth in any national economy to create an equivalent increase in jobs, so that in itself would provide 10,000 jobs per year, if we can make it happen.

Don’t be shy Oman, take the tourists, give them what they want, and take their money. It is the ‘best’ means of national development in the world, apart from national resources, which we have already benefited from, and will provide a future economic security blanket that most countries envy.

But this country, with its sun, sand, sea, cultural heritage and safe environment, allow people to experience a people, a way of life, and assuages their curiosity about a religion that is fraught with insecurity elsewhere in the world. That curiosity should be piqued, and this beautiful country is just the place to do it.