{"id":3344,"date":"2025-08-12T15:49:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-12T11:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/news\/economy\/duqm-summer-series-talent-ignited\/"},"modified":"2025-08-13T06:59:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T02:59:25","slug":"duqm-summer-series-talent-ignited","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/news\/economy\/duqm-summer-series-talent-ignited\/","title":{"rendered":"Duqm Summer Series: How Keeping Talent Engaged Boosts Business Growth and Investment Opportunities in Oman"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-fadein{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(14px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-slideup{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(20px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-pulse{0%,100%{box-shadow:0 0 14px #dc262688}50%{box-shadow:0 0 32px #dc2626,0 0 60px #dc262655}}\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-shimmer{0%,100%{opacity:0.3;transform:scaleX(0.4)}50%{opacity:1;transform:scaleX(1)}}\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-glow{0%,100%{opacity:0.6}50%{opacity:1}}\r\n@keyframes hitv3sog-badge{from{opacity:0;transform:scale(0.8)}to{opacity:1;transform:scale(1)}}\r\n<\/style><style>\r\n.hitv3sogw{container-type:inline-size;width:100%;max-width:970px;margin:0 auto;box-sizing:border-box}\r\n.hitv3soga{display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;text-decoration:none;color:#fff;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,system-ui,sans-serif;position:relative;overflow:hidden;cursor:pointer;background:linear-gradient(135deg,#111118 0%,#080808 100%);border:1.5px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.08);border-radius:14px;gap:20px;padding:20px 40px;transition:border-color .2s}\r\n.hitv3soga:hover{border-color:#dc262688}\r\n.hitv3sogg1{position:absolute;inset:0;background:radial-gradient(ellipse at 50% 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0;white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis}\r\n.hitv3sogs{font-size:13px;color:rgba(255,255,255,.6);line-height:1.4;margin-top:3px;white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis}\r\n.hitv3sogbl{display:none;flex-direction:column;gap:5px;margin-top:9px;align-self:flex-start}\r\n.hitv3sogbi{display:flex;align-items:center;font-size:11px;color:rgba(255,255,255,.55);font-weight:500}\r\n.hitv3sogct{position:relative;z-index:1;flex-shrink:0;display:flex;flex-direction:column;align-items:center}\r\n.hitv3sogbtn{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:6px;padding:10px 24px;background:#dc2626;background-image:linear-gradient(180deg,rgba(255,255,255,.12) 0%,transparent 100%);color:#fff;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;border-radius:8px;white-space:nowrap;box-shadow:0 0 20px #dc262666;border:none;cursor:pointer;font-family:inherit;transition:filter .15s,transform .15s}\r\n.hitv3sogbtn:hover{filter:brightness(1.15);transform:scale(1.04)}\r\n.hitv3sogbr{font-size:9px;color:rgba(255,255,255,.18);text-align:center;margin-top:5px;letter-spacing:.1em;text-transform:uppercase}\r\n\/* \u2500\u2500 Compact horizontal: 380\u2013599px (like 320\u00d7100) \u2500\u2500 *\/\r\n@container (min-width:380px) and (max-width:599px){\r\n  .hitv3soga{padding:12px 22px;gap:12px;min-height:100px}\r\n  .hitv3sogh{font-size:16px}\r\n  .hitv3sogs{display:none}\r\n  .hitv3sogbtn{padding:7px 16px;font-size:11px}\r\n}\r\n\/* \u2500\u2500 Mobile\/card: < 380px (like 300\u00d7250) \u2500\u2500 *\/\r\n@container (max-width:379px){\r\n  .hitv3soga{flex-direction:column;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;min-height:260px;padding:22px 22px;gap:10px}\r\n  .hitv3sogc{align-items:center;text-align:center}\r\n  .hitv3sogh{font-size:22px;white-space:normal}\r\n  .hitv3sogs{font-size:11px;white-space:normal}\r\n  .hitv3sogbl{display:flex;align-self:center;text-align:left}\r\n  .hitv3sogbtn{width:100%;justify-content:center;padding:12px 20px}\r\n}\r\n\/* \u2500\u2500 Wide: >= 600px (leaderboard style) \u2500\u2500 *\/\r\n@container (min-width:600px){\r\n  .hitv3soga{min-height:90px}\r\n}\r\n<\/style><!-- HiT Land Banner \u2014 Container Query Responsive -->\r\n<div class=\"hitv3sogw\">\r\n<a class=\"hitv3soga\" href=\"https:\/\/hit.land\/services\/web-app-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-fadein 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0s;\">\r\n  <div class=\"hitv3sogg1\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-glow 3s ease-in-out infinite;\"><\/div>\r\n  <div class=\"hitv3sogg2\"><\/div>\r\n  <div class=\"hitv3soggl\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-shimmer 3s ease-in-out infinite;\"><\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <div class=\"hitv3sogc\">\r\n    \r\n    <div style=\"display:inline-flex;align-self:flex-start;align-items:center;gap:6px;background:rgba(255,255,255,0.08);border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.18);backdrop-filter:blur(8px);-webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(8px);border-radius:20px;padding:3px 10px 3px 7px;margin-bottom:clamp(5px,0.6vw,9px);animation:hitv3sog-badge 0.5s ease both;\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:6px;height:6px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size:clamp(8px,0.9vw,10px);font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.07em;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.88);text-transform:uppercase;white-space:nowrap;\">EXCLUSIVE OMAN OFFER<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogh\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.15s;\">Websites For <span style=\"color:#dc2626;\">Omani Businesses.<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogs\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.3s;\">Empower your brand with custom digital solutions designed for high conversion and market dominance.<\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogbl\"><div class=\"hitv3sogbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>Responsive designs built for growth<\/span><\/div><div class=\"hitv3sogbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>Fast loading with smart automation<\/span><\/div><\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <div class=\"hitv3sogct\">\r\n    <button class=\"hitv3sogbtn\" style=\"animation:hitv3sog-pulse 2.5s ease-in-out infinite;animation-delay:1s;\">Build Your Free Website <span style=\"opacity:.9;\">\u2192<\/span><\/button>\r\n    <div class=\"hitv3sogbr\">hit.land<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/a>\r\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>SEZAD Advances Workforce Development in Duqm Summer Series<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DUQM, August 12 \u2013 The Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD) continued its inaugural Duqm Summer Series on Tuesday with a focused one-hour session dedicated to workforce development\u2014an increasingly critical element of business strategy. In today\u2019s fast-evolving landscape, securing, retaining, and nurturing the right talent is as vital as attracting investment or expanding into new markets.<\/p>\n<p>Organised by Hanan al Siyabi, Section Head of Marketing &amp; Business Development at SEZAD, the session featured Auf al Aufi, Talent Management Section Head at the Development Bank. He emphasized the importance of building resilient teams capable of adapting swiftly, working with clear purpose, and recognizing opportunities within change.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe most successful organisations recognize that talent is not a static asset but a dynamic, evolving capability,\u201d Al Aufi stated. \u201cOur discussion focused on cultivating leaders comfortable with ambiguity and teams that can maintain focus while adapting quickly. Achieving this requires investing in skills development, fostering the right culture, and implementing systems that enable people to perform at their best.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The rationale for such investments is compelling. Gallup\u2019s State of the Global Workplace 2024 report reveals that only 21% of employees globally feel actively engaged at work, with disengagement costing the world economy approximately US$8.8 trillion annually\u2014around 9% of global GDP. Additionally, the Society for Human Resource Management estimates that replacing a single employee can cost up to twice their annual salary, accounting for recruitment, training, lost productivity, and cultural impact. With over half of the workforce reportedly seeking new opportunities, retention has emerged as a critical business performance factor rather than a mere HR concern.<\/p>\n<p>Tuesday\u2019s dialogue went beyond traditional HR approaches, examining the complete employee lifecycle\u2014from purposeful onboarding that integrates organisational values, to career pathways emphasizing fairness, inclusion, and wellbeing. Discussions also addressed ways to enhance transparency in development opportunities and how to create workplaces that employees actively choose to remain with, contribute to, and innovate from.<\/p>\n<p>The conversation also linked back to last week\u2019s session on AI and automation, highlighting that as technology reshapes skill demands, effective AI strategies must be paired with robust people strategies\u2014focused on reskilling, lifelong learning, and leadership equipped to navigate transformation.<\/p>\n<p>For Al Siyabi, the connection between talent and competitive advantage is clear. \u201cDuqm is built for the long term,\u201d she remarked. \u201cThese sessions equip our tenants with the tools and mindset to develop their workforce with the same dedication they apply to infrastructure projects. Workforce resilience is not just an HR issue; it directly impacts competitiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Duqm Summer Series commenced on August 5 with Saeed Abul Ghafoor, CEO of Star Drones, leading a session on AI and automation. The series will continue throughout August with discussions on global supply chains and workplace culture\u2014each a concise, practical one-hour dialogue designed to provide actionable insights.<\/p>\n<p>In an era where talent rivals capital in value, Duqm is positioning itself not only as a logistics and industrial hub but as a centre where organisations invest in their people to shape both their future and the region\u2019s contribution to the global economy.<\/p>\n<p><style>\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-fadein{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(14px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-slideup{from{opacity:0;transform:translateY(20px)}to{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0)}}\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-pulse{0%,100%{box-shadow:0 0 14px #dc262688}50%{box-shadow:0 0 32px #dc2626,0 0 60px #dc262655}}\r\n@keyframes hitl8gak-shimmer{0%,100%{opacity:0.3;transform:scaleX(0.4)}50%{opacity:1;transform:scaleX(1)}}\r\n@keyframes 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solid rgba(255,255,255,0.18);backdrop-filter:blur(8px);-webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(8px);border-radius:20px;padding:3px 10px 3px 7px;margin-bottom:clamp(5px,0.6vw,9px);animation:hitl8gak-badge 0.5s ease both;\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:6px;height:6px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size:clamp(8px,0.9vw,10px);font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.07em;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.88);text-transform:uppercase;white-space:nowrap;\">EXCLUSIVE OFFER<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gakh\" style=\"animation:hitl8gak-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.15s;\">Your Website <span style=\"color:#dc2626;\">Should Sell.<\/span><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gaks\" style=\"animation:hitl8gak-slideup 0.7s ease both;animation-delay:0.3s;\">Custom-built websites with smart automation & AI-powered features.<\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gakbl\"><div class=\"hitl8gakbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>SEO-optimized & lightning fast<\/span><\/div><div class=\"hitl8gakbi\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;width:5px;height:5px;border-radius:50%;background:#dc2626;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:7px;\"><\/span><span>Smart features built for your business<\/span><\/div><\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <div class=\"hitl8gakct\">\r\n    <button class=\"hitl8gakbtn\" style=\"animation:hitl8gak-pulse 2.5s ease-in-out infinite;animation-delay:1s;\">Get Free Consultation <span style=\"opacity:.9;\">\u2192<\/span><\/button>\r\n    <div class=\"hitl8gakbr\">hit.land<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/a>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>Special Analysis by Omanet | Navigate Oman&#8217;s Market<\/p>\n<p>The focus on <strong>workforce development and talent resilience at SEZAD Duqm<\/strong> signals a strategic shift for Omani businesses, emphasizing that <strong>people strategies must evolve alongside technological advancements like AI and automation<\/strong>. For investors and entrepreneurs, this presents a compelling opportunity to build competitive advantage by investing in <strong>continuous learning, fair career development, and inclusive workplace cultures<\/strong>\u2014critical factors for attracting and retaining talent in a rapidly changing market.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Duqm Summer Series at SEZAD highlighted workforce development, emphasizing talent as a dynamic asset. Focused on resilient, adaptable teams, the discussion stressed investing in skills, culture, and systems amid AI-driven change. Workforce resilience is vital for competitiveness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3345,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[482],"tags":[1184,1183,180],"class_list":["post-3344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","tag-business-strategy","tag-talent-management","tag-workforce-development"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/3097862.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3344"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3346,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3344\/revisions\/3346"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/omanet.om\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}