On April 11th Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) held its 17th annual graduation ceremony at the auditorium of the Ministry of Oil and Gas. Certificates were presented to 64 new Omani graduates by the guest of honour, H.E. Dr Rawiya Bint Saud Al-Busaidy, the Minister of Higher Education. PDO has for many years been actively supporting the university education of Omanis, investing nearly R.O. 3 million every year to this end. Working in PDO today are more than one thousand Omanis who have graduated from overseas degree programmes thanks to the company's support. This year's graduates included eight gaining PhDs, 15 receiving their MSc, 34 gaining their first degree, and a further seven being awarded an MBA. In a speech delivered at the start of the ceremony, PDO's Managing Director, John Malcolm, said "PDO is not just in the business of finding and producing oil and gas, it is also in the business of finding and producing talented people. And we see before us today the fruits of our 'exploration and development' work. PDO can be proud of the part it has played in these young people's lives. "These PDO graduates are the future of the Company and consequently have a huge part to play in the future of Oman. These people have challenged themselves to maximise their potential by gaining good educational qualifications. And in doing so, they will help us and the country meet the challenges that we face." In conclusion, Mr Malcolm said to the new graduates: "The need for new thinking and new ways of working is crucial to our success. And so it is that we look to our young colleagues here today to help us in our task to move forward, to be unafraid of change, to be willing to take risks and question the old way of doings things. In PDO we will give them this opportunity to use their newfound knowledge, to put it into practice."
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