22 September 2008, Manama: Aswaq Al Helli - Bahrain's premier supermarkets are celebrating the graduation of 46 Bahrain employees from Tamkeen's Career Progression Programme (Tamkeen-CPP). Furthermore, 20 staff from the Supermarket will follow soon.

Tamkeen's Career Progression Programme (Tamkeen-CPP) is implemented and managed by BDO Jawad Habib Consulting, and is designed to benefit Bahraini employees, offering training across many sectors, with the aim of improving their skills and productivity  Employees who undertake the specially designed training courses benefit from improving their skill sets and a financial reward as well.  Full time employees who earn between BD200 and BD400 (as basic salary) can qualify for the programme and receive an increase in their basic salary at BD50 per month.

Commenting on the effectiveness of the Tamkeen-CPP to his business, Mr. Shaker Al Helli, Managing Director of Aswaq Al Helli, said: "Tamkeen's Career Progression Programme is a promising initiative as it aims to develop the skills of employees and provide them with the opportunity to upgrade their own abilities and improve their professional future.  We realised the remarkable positive impact the Programme has on increased productivity of our employees who completed the courses. The employees are more committed to their work and have higher positive attitude towards our customers". He added "We would like to extend our thanks to BDO Jawad Habib for the quality training services provided

to our employees. I would also like to thank our employees who participated in this programme and showed their commitment to complete their training plan".

Talking about the participation of Aswaq Al Helli in the programme, Dr. Ehsan Ghurbal, the Project Manager at BDO Jawad Habib stated: "Aswaq Al Helli is one of the first companies from the Retail Sector which participated in this programme. They have utilised a sum of almost BD30,800 from Tamkeen's CPP on various related training courses to improve their employees' skills. These courses were identified and coordinated by BDO Jawad Habib training team after conducting a training needs analysis for each employee. Aswaq Al Helli is also going to benefit from a sum of BD 42,600 from Tamkeen's CPP to increase the monthly basic salary when their nominated employees complete their training successfully'. Dr. Ghurbal added "Throughout all of our courses within Tamkeen's CPP, we at BDO Jawad Habib are fully committed to providing expert tutors, the best in their field and enhancing employees' skills and knowledge resulting ultimately in increasing their productivity. The improved skills and productivity of their staff would eventually result in understanding and meeting their customer demands and needs. This would yield in higher profitability for their business".

Commenting on his participation in Tamkeen's Career Progression Programme, Mr. Abdulelah Khalifa, Treasury Executive at Aswaq Al Helli who has already graduated from the programme said, "In fact, Tamkeen's CPP provided me with the opportunity to explore new horizons of knowledge and know how to supervise my staff, deal with our customer professionally and effectively."

Ms Layla Ali, cashier at Aswaq Al Helli said. "The participants in Tamkeen's CPP significantly benefited from the practical exercises, role plays and sessions led by the experts of the programme". Layla advised Bahraini companies to allow their employees to seize the opportunity and join the programme with the aim of upgrading their career skills.

A Human Resource Officer at Aswaq Al Helli, Fatima Mansoor said. "I realised positive changes and developments relating to the professional aspects of our employees participating in Tamkeen's CPP's training courses. In fact, such development has been affecting our suppliers and customers positively". Fatima thanked the programme coordinators for their remarkable efforts to meet all Aswaq Al-Helli training needs and matching their corporate vision as well as individual job requirements.

Meanwhile, Tamkeen's Head of Human Capital Development Division Ms. Amal Kooheji said "The Career Progression Programme provides a valuable career progression opportunity to 6,500 Bahraini employees across the private sector.  It will also help employers achieve the necessary increase in productivity through linking the improvement in monthly income to the acquisition of skills.  This programme initiated by Tamkeen injects more than BD 12,000,000 into the kingdom's economy with positive multiplier effects on both skill and income levels. Benefits to employers include savings made on the cost of conducting the training needs analysis, the cost of the training programme, the 12-month subsidisation of the salary in addition to expert advice on related HR know-how provided by a reputed consulting firm. The project also presents a great business opportunity for training providers who alone have been spared over half of the programme's budget in order for them to help with building the necessary skills and competencies."

For further information on how to benefit from Tamkeen's - Career Progression Programme, the Career Progression Centre (CPC) is located on the 3rd floor at Al Ezz Tower (off-the Exhibition Avenue) and is exclusively dedicated to receive requests, enquiries and support the execution of this programme.    Employers in the private sector can participate in the programme by nominating their eligible Bahraini employees. Registration forms are available online at www.bdojawadhabib.com, or for more information and details about the programme, employers who are companies in the private sector can email: info.cpp@bdojawadhabib.com, while Training Service Providers who are interested in supporting this programme may email tsp.cpp@bdojawadhabib.com.

-Ends-

Tamkeen (Labour Fund):
The Kingdom of Bahrain has taken vital steps towards a labour market reform which is an essential stride to ensure that the human capital of the country is developed and that employment is made more attractive for localization as well as to improve performances of businesses.  The strive towards labour reform will impact the Kingdom's economy and raise standards of living as well as pose a challenging commitment to the improvement of services in Bahrain. 

Formerly known as the Labour Fund, Tamkeen is a semi-autonomous yet independent authority which formulates strategic and operational plans to use the fees collected by the LMRA in order to enhance the overall prosperity of Bahrain by investing in Bahraini employability, job creation, and social support. Hence, the Tamkeen (Labour Fund)'s main objectives are to support Bahrainis to become the employees of choice, and (ii) to support high quality private sector job creation and helping the private sector cope with the impact of labour market reform.

For Media Enquiries, you may contact: 
Ms. Hala A. Suleiman
Marketing Communications Manager
Tamkeen (Labour Fund)
Kingdom of Bahrain 
Tel: 17383335
Fax: 17382352
email info@tamkeen.bh
Website  www.tamkeen.bh 

© Press Release 2008