Sunday 03 / August / 2025
Muscat: The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology launched video game development bootcamp as part of the “Makeen” initiative to empower digital talent.
As part of national initiatives aimed at empowering Omani talent in modern digital fields, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology held the opening ceremony of the Video Game Development Bootcamp. The bootcamp is implemented by Al-Nahda Institute in collaboration with Unity Technologies, under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Amer Al-Shezani, Undersecretary of the Ministry for Communications and Information Technology, and attended by a number of experts in technology and video games.
This bootcamp aligns with the national vision to enhance digital capabilities and empower Omani youth in modern tech sectors, in line with the Sultanate’s aspirations for digital transformation and a knowledge-based economy.
Jalila bint Abdullah Al-Fannah Al-Araimi, Director of the Future Skills Development Department at the Ministry, stated during the ceremony: “This bootcamp aims to empower 50 job seekers who are passionate and talented in game development, through two specialised tracks in programming and animation design. The training is delivered through an intensive 24-week program that combines theoretical foundations with practical application, supervised by certified trainers and experts from inside and outside the Sultanate.”
She also explained: “The bootcamp is distinguished by its focus on hands-on experience, offering participants training opportunities within tech incubators and enabling them to develop their own game projects. This contributes to preparing them to establish competitive Omani startups in this vital digital sector.”
Al-Fannah Al-Araimi emphasised: “Investing in national digital talent is the cornerstone of building a sustainable digital economy. This bootcamp is a practical initiative to achieve that goal by opening new horizons for Omani youth to actively participate in the global gaming industry.”
She added: “This collaboration with Unity Technologies – one of the world’s leading companies in game engines and interactive technologies – is the first of its kind in the Sultanate with the program’s implementing body. It represents a fruitful and valuable partnership both technically and intellectually. Unity is one of the most prominent names in the gaming industry, with its technologies used in developing over 50% of digital games worldwide. This partnership is a strategic opportunity to transfer deep and practical expertise to the participants.”
His Excellency Sheikh Humaid bin Jumaa Al-Shamsi, Chairman of Al-Nahda Training Institute, stated: “This unique initiative is part of our vision to empower Omani youth and equip them with modern digital skills that have become the foundation of advanced global economies.”
He added: “The video game industry is not just entertainment it is a comprehensive knowledge based industry that combines programming, design, artificial intelligence, and artistic creativity. From this perspective, the idea of this bootcamp emerged as a practical platform to qualify our youth to engage in this promising global sector.”
