TAHLYA Programme Trainees Begin On-Job Training Across Oman

In partnership with bp Oman, MEDRC Water Research Centre is proud to announce a major milestone in its seventh TAHLYA vocational training programme, as 81 trainees complete their classroom and hands-on training phases and begin internships at desalination plants across the Sultanate.

The trainees comprised of operator and supervisor tracks,and divided into two batches, both of which have completed the last phase of intensive training that included theoretical classroom workshops and sessions, laboratory work, simulated plant-based sessions at the centre and will now move onto plant-based instruction in Reverse Osmosis (RO) desalination technology across several plants in Muscat, Sohar, Qurrayat, Barka and Salalah.

Since its launch in 2017, the TAHLYA program has trained a total of 508 young Omanis, equipping them with essential skills in water treatment, plant operation, safety, and troubleshooting. With Oman’s growing dependence on desalination to meet national water demands, TAHLYA plays a key role in developing a highly qualified local workforce aligned with Oman Vision 2040.

Ciarán Ó Cuinn, MEDRC Centre Director further added: “This program doesn’t just build skills, it builds futures. We’re proud that many of our graduates go on to meaningful employment in Oman’s water sector, and we remain committed to growing local talent for this critical industry.”

Ibrahim Al Hinai, Social investment manager at bp Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar,commented: "The TAHLYA programme continues to serve as a national model for workforce development and sustainability education, supporting job creation, capacity building, and long-term water security for the Sultanate, with 56% of the graduates from the last 6 cycles of the programme already employed across various regions and organisations in Oman.”

Furthermore, the programme also includes TAHLYA for Kids, which is an awareness initiative targeting school students launching soon in the upcoming period, to engage hundreds of students in fun, interactive sessions about water sustainability and desalination, with plant visits, hands-on activities, and workshops designed to build environmental awareness from an early age.