Bahrain's Labour Fund (Tamkeen) said it has sealed a strategic partnership deal with SANS Institute, a world-renowned provider of cyber security training services based in the US, to provide quality training to hundreds of Bahrainis starting with 200 graduates over the next two years.

SANS Institute aims to empower cybersecurity professionals with the practical skills and knowledge they need to make the world a safer place.

Their courses cater to all information security professionals regardless of their level of experience and offer a hands-on approach that enables professionals to gain skills and knowledge they can apply immediately in their professional lives.

Tamkeen said this initiative was in line with its strategic direction and comes as a response to the market needs that require high quality and specialized tech training opportunities for Bahrainis, and the pressing need for qualified professionals within the cybersecurity field.

These opportunities will help upskill and reskill Bahrainis to fill this gap and establish sustainable career paths in the technology sector, it stated.

Tamkeen CEO Husain Mohamed Rajab said: "Through our 2021-2025 strategy, we are committed to delivering higher impact for the economy. Tamkeen plays a vital role in the government-led economic recovery plan through our support of all sectors while also focusing on incentivizing high potential sectors and curating programs and initiatives that foster their growth and development."

"Additionally, we are constantly working with our partners to fulfill our objective of making Bahrainis the preferred choice for employment in the private sector," remarked Rajab.

"We are identifying prestigious training and education providers to empower Bahrainis with the tools they need to thrive and succeed in a rapidly changing market, enhancing their competitiveness both locally and internationally. We welcome this strategic collaboration with SANS Institute, a world-leading provider of cybersecurity training," he added.

SANS Institute employs instructors who are experienced practitioners and leaders in their field so they can bring their practical expertise and knowledge to the students, providing a high-quality and engaging educational experience. They operate with the objective of ensuring that everyone who completes training with SANS will be able to immediately apply the skills they learned from their first day at work.

On the tieup, James Lyne, the Chief Technology Officer, at SANS Institute, said the collaboration with Tamkeen was a welcome move and was aimed at delivering specialized industry-leading programmes that empower cybersecurity practitioners around the world with useful knowledge and capabilities.

"We welcome Tamkeen’s partnership and their efforts in advancing the skills of Bahraini talent within the cybersecurity field, which falls in line with the current strategic direction of driving growth and impact and contributes to the implementation of Bahrain’s economic recovery plan that seeks to position the kingdom as a regional technology and innovation hub."

"We look forward to putting our expertise together with Tamkeen’s support to help high caliber and committed Bahrainis upskill and elevate their careers," he stated.

Lyne pointed out that there was a market gap for cybersecurity professionals in Bahrain, thus making it a highly in demand career option in several sectors such as financial services, ICT, and manufacturing.

"The importance of cybersecurity roles lies in safeguarding and protecting data, warding off online attacks and ensuring that information and data are not compromised in any way. These benefits are of high value to both organizations and governments, leading to increased demand for specialists in the field. The realm of cybersecurity provides diverse career paths and significant opportunities for professional growth and development, therefore offering the Bahrainis who are looking to specialize in it a competitive edge both locally and internationally," he added.

Tamkeen called upon Bahraini individuals and enterprises interested in participating in the SANS programs to apply directly through its Train Me, Train & Grow, and Train & Place programmes.

Earlier this year, the kingdom's labour fund had embarked on a transformation journey to focus its efforts on driving higher economic impact by enhancing productivity and encouraging employment and investment especially in high potential sectors in alignment with national priorities.

This transformation gave way to 16 support programs that were designed to cater to market needs and empower both enterprises and individuals to reach their highest potential, it added.

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