Oman’s young generation is key to driving innovation and resilience across all sectors. Strengthening collaboration between business, academia and government will be essential to achieving sustained and inclusive growth.
As Oman advances towards a diversified economy, the potential of its young people to drive innovation, resilience and growth has never been more critical.
With over 550,000 Omanis expected to enter the workforce by 2032, the country must create around 220,000 new jobs to meet demand.1 Yet the challenge is not only about numbers, but also ensuring job readiness, developing relevant skills, and strengthening the systems that connect talent to opportunity.
The private sector plays a crucial role in shaping the ecosystems that connect education, entrepreneurship and innovation – preparing the youth for the workforce of tomorrow. This role goes beyond job creation and involves building national capacity through partnerships, targeted skills development and inclusive growth.
The talent is there, but alignment needs to be stronger
Oman’s youth are ambitious, digitally fluent, and eager to contribute to the nation’s progress; however, a recent IMF report 2 highlights that the education system is not yet fully aligned with the skills demanded by the private sector.3 Educational paths predominantly chosen by Omanis are still tilted towards humanities and business administration rather than science, engineering and technology fields.
This gap is not a limitation of talent, but an opportunity for recalibration. Businesses must accelerate adoption of purpose-driven talent strategies such as investing in upskilling, creating pathways into high-growth sectors and embedding employability within corporate sustainability agendas to shape Oman’s Industry 4.0-ready workforce.
Through partnerships with educational institutions, innovation hubs and government programmes, businesses can help in equipping youth with practical skills, from AI and the Internet-of-Things to robotics and data analytics. These efforts will only strengthen the ecosystem that underpins Oman’s Vision 2040 for a knowledge-based, competitive and future-ready nation.
Engaging in community initiatives
We are already witnessing this in action – beyond upskilling their own employees and creating roles for the next generation, many private sector entities are extending their impact through voluntary community initiatives. These include dedicating time to train youth in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and digital skills, sharing expertise to help SMEs and start-ups grow as engines of innovation and employment and forming public-private partnerships that align education with market needs.
How ICV and corporate sustainability can shape Oman’s talent ecosystem
Oman’s in-country value (ICV) strategy, originally launched in the oil and gas sector, has shown how targeted localisation can unlock economic value and create meaningful employment. It aims to increase Omani participation in the workforce and strengthen local content across supply chains.
ICV’s potential goes beyond compliance. When embedded into business strategy, it becomes a growth enabler, driving innovation, deepening market understanding and strengthening community ties. This is especially true in sectors like energy, logistics and tourism, where local knowledge is a strategic asset.4
Corporate sustainability offers a clear path to advancing the ICV strategy. At PwC Middle East, we believe in supporting digital literacy through asset donations and training, partnering with local institutions to align skills with industry needs, or providing pro-bono advisory services to social enterprises and start-ups. These efforts reflect our belief that developing local talent is not a cost, but a lasting competitive advantage.
Together, ICV and corporate sustainability mark a shift from transactional hiring to transformational development, where businesses actively shape the future of work in Oman.
A call for collaborative action
Oman’s government has laid a strong foundation for workforce development through national strategies and policy reforms. Having achieved 38% of its 2025 employment targets,5 the nation can build on this momentum through deeper collaboration between government, business and society.
Oman’s greatest untapped resource is its youth and with 60% of the population under the age of 29 it’s clear they'll play a significant part in the country’s future.6
As the nation advances toward a diversified, resilient economy, the private sector must take the lead in shaping the workforce of tomorrow. It’s time to rethink the role of business in shaping society. By embedding youth development into core strategies, the private sector can unlock new markets, drive innovation, and help communities thrive. Across every industry, our shared responsibility is to help build a future where Oman’s youth can lead, create and succeed.
