The Labour Fund (Tamkeen) held its second Board of Directors meeting for the year to present updates on the implementation of its strategy and progress on the new programs during the second quarter of the year.

During the meeting, His Excellency Shaikh Mohamed bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Directors said, “Tamkeen continues to support the national economy through the pursuit of its main objectives which aim to make Bahrainis the employee of choice locally and internationally, and the private sector the engine of economic growth. We are also continuing our work in keeping pace with market changes to stimulate growth, increase productivity, and drive positive economic impact through a series of initiatives in line with national priorities and the economic recovery plan.”

H.E added: “The second phase of programs was developed during the first half of the year, ensuring compatibility with sector needs and labor market developments. Additionally, we have launched strategic partnerships with several accredited international bodies with the objective of developing Bahrainis’ skills and encouraging sustainability within enterprises.”

Tamkeen’s key achievements, benchmarked against the 2022 key performance indicators (KPI), were also highlighted in the board meeting. During the first half of the year, the number of Bahrainis trained in quality opportunities with Tamkeen’s support reached almost 50% of the KPI, representing over 5,700 trainees, while the number of new jobs filled by Bahrainis in enterprises receiving support from Tamkeen reached 46% of the KPI, to reach over 4,500 jobs.

With regards to enterprises, Tamkeen was able to almost double its support for new enterprises, reaching 168% of the target for 2022 and totaling 1,675 companies. Tamkeen is also continuing to support companies looking to expand, supporting 1,185 companies which represents 40% of the total target for 2022.

Additionally, as part of Tamkeen’s commitment to identifying key growth opportunities within all sectors, with a focus on high-potential sectors, Tamkeen hosted a series of meetings with over 120 enterprises from various economic sectors in order to understand the challenges they face and how to contribute to their development through encouraging companies to adapt their business models and achieve greater growth and sustainability.

Tamkeen has recently introduced several initiatives aimed at creating job and training opportunities for locals. These partnerships included an agreement with the SANS Global Training Institute, which aims to train hundreds of Bahrainis in the field of cyber security over the next two years. Also announced was an initiative to prepare and employ Bahrainis in the field of actuarial sciences to work within insurance companies in partnership with the Central Bank of Bahrain, the London-based Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, and the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance.

Strategic partnerships have also been announced with the first phase of international companies participating in the "Global Ready-Talent Program", which includes 12 companies who will train over 60 Bahrainis at their international headquarters with the aim of developing the skills and expertise of national talent, contributing to their career development and helping them reach leadership positions in the future, thus raising their competitiveness locally and internationally.

In an effort to continually develop the level of service provided to customers, Tamkeen has diversified its communication channels by employing the latest digital technologies and as per the highest global standards through launching additional channels, including a 24/7 WhatsApp service, a virtual service center, and a virtual assistant on Tamkeen’s website. This has improved Tamkeen’s speed and efficiency of communication with customers, ensuring all inquiries and feedback is addressed in a timely manner.

Recently, the Seef Customer Service Center received the gold classification for the third year in a row within the Government Service Centre Evaluation Committee “Taqyeem”. The award comes as part of Tamkeen’s efforts and achievements over the past fifteen years and follows on the introduction of several initiatives aimed at raising the level of customer satisfaction introduced as part of Tamkeen’s comprehensive transformation plan, which was developed to drive greater economic impact, boost the performance of individuals and enterprises, and increase productivity in the local market, in line with the economic recovery plan and national priorities.  

-Ends-