Manama, Bahrain: The Labour Fund (Tamkeen) announces the launch of the second batch of its sector skills reports which includes the manufacturing and energy sectors as part of the “Skills Bahrain” initiative which aims to guide local skills development.

Within this initiative, Tamkeen collaborated with representatives of various sectors from government and private organizations to foster a skills-based environment that better meets the needs of the labor market. The initiative facilitates the transition from education to employment by analyzing the key economic sectors in the Kingdom, to identify the skills required by these sectors currently and in the future. In addition to this, the reports also assess the impact of local, regional, and global changes, and specifically digital technology, and artificial intelligence with regards to emerging and future jobs. Furthermore, these reports include career pathway maps for the various professional roles within each sector, providing a unified reference point for stakeholders in those sectors.

H.E. Maha Mofeez, Chief Executive of the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), said: “"The dynamic nature of the labor market creates gaps between the skills available and the job requirements in different sectors. Accordingly, Skills Bahrain’s reports will contribute, through its outputs, to addressing these gaps by providing information that supports career guidance for students and job seekers, which will contribute to enhancing the empowerment of national workforce, driving innovation, and raising the level of productivity in line with the economic goals of the Kingdom towards achieving a diversified and sustainable economy."

Mr. Amer Marhoon, the managing director of "Skills Bahrain", emphasized the importance of this initiative in contributing to the readiness of the national workforce and guiding them towards the specializations required by the labor market, which is done by analyzing the labor market requirements in key economic sectors in the Kingdom, in line with the economic recovery plan. He stated: "We previously released two skills reports on the financial services and telecommunications sectors, and work is currently underway to prepare reports for other key sectors including healthcare, tourism and hospitality, transportation and logistics, education, retail, and real estate and construction, with these reports expected to be issued later this year."

He noted that the reports highlight future trends in these sectors and the jobs required, as well as the necessary skills for career development. Some of these future trends revolve around Industry 4.0 technologies, digital automation, the use of artificial intelligence, and technological advancements in exploration and drilling operations within the sectors. Also, skills such as computer-aided design (CAD) and data analysis are among the required skills in these sectors. Some of the jobs needed in the energy sector include specialists in new fields such as metallurgical engineers and cybersecurity specialists, while the manufacturing sector requires roles like automation and robotics engineers and research and development scientists.

The findings of these reports will contribute to aligning educational and training programs with the requirements of the labor market. They will also contribute to the development and improvement of Tamkeen’s programs to meet emerging skills needs, thus enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of the national workforce and making them the employee of choice. The reports are available on Tamkeen's website.

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About Skills Bahrain

Skills Bahrain is a national initiative that operates under the umbrella of the Labor Fund “Tamkeen” which focuses on guiding local skills development.

This initiative seeks to fill the skills gap of local talent resulting from the constant changes and development in the labor market, which ensures raising the competitiveness of the individual in line with the current and future market needs. The Kingdom of Bahrain is making strides to support local talent, drive innovation, and enhance productivity in line with the Economic Vision 2030.

Skills Bahrain works closely with employers, education & training providers, and government stakeholders, to bridge the skills gap by providing its stakeholders with the necessary intelligence, sector-specific data, and necessary tools.  It contributes to the transition from education to employment, and provides a clear path towards career development, therefore developing skilled and globally competitive Bahraini talent.