Bahrain: General Assembly, Tamkeen tie-up yields 70% success rate

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Bahrain - General Assembly, a tech bootcamp provider supported by Bahrain’s Labour Fund (Tamkeen), has reported an impressive 70.1% success rate for its graduates within five months of graduating. This includes job opportunities, freelance work, promotions and starting a business.

The high positive outcome rate can be attributed to strategic partnerships with well-known organisations such as Zain Telecom, Bahrain Islamic Bank and HP Spring Studios. Notably, many of General Assembly's students were offered jobs on the spot at a career fair organised in December 2022.

General Assembly students also participated in pro-bono work with Bahrain-based companies such as The Benefit Company, Beyon Connect, Loyale App, Ordable eCommerce, engaging in diverse user experience (UX) projects. General Assembly’s efforts have helped graduates who do not have technical backgrounds or only have a high school education to secure employment within the tech industry, despite facing various challenges.

High-quality tech courses

General Assembly, the education institution specialising in offering high quality tech courses, has graduated over 277 students in Bahrain so far, in fields such as Software Engineering, User Experience Design, Data Analytics, Data Science & Digital Product Management.

General Assembly creates an environment of continuous learning by inviting guest speakers from reputable tech organisations. These interactions not only enhance the curriculum but also give students an understanding of how to apply their learning in various professional fields.

Speakers in the past have included Shaima Al-Meer , A Senior Space Data Analyst from National Space Science Agency to speak about how space data is being used to find solutions on earth, Asma Al Najdi, the founder of the Bahrain Intellectual Property Society to speak on the rules and protections laws we have in Bahrain for the tech industry and Dr Mariam Al-Ammadi the founder of Child and Family Mental Health Foundation speaking to students on how to build a support system while going through the job searching journey and many more.

Enabling talent

Maha Mofeez, Chief Executive of Tamkeen, said: “This success aligns with our strategic direction and priorities, especially in growing domains. At Tamkeen we have always been committed to enabling Bahraini talent and supporting their growth to help them become the first choice of employment for the private sector. By empowering the upcoming generation of Bahraini talent with essential skills for the digital era, we are preparing them for future success.”

Roger Lee, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer of General Assembly, added: “Strong graduation rates and employment results highlight the importance of partnerships that raise job market skills to global standards. The technical skill-gap poses a hurdle that impacts almost every sector in Bahrain. With the rapid advancements in technology, bridging this gap and equipping Bahrainis for the upcoming employment era is of paramount importance.”

Zainab Khamis, Head of HP Spring Studios, one of General Assembly's Corporate Hiring Partners, stated: "Our commitment at HP Spring Studios is to co-found startups with exceptional entrepreneurs and shape the future of the fintech industry in Mena. We are thrilled to have hired two graduates from General Assembly, who have demonstrated impressive qualities and knowledge. Their technical expertise and remarkable soft skills have made them valuable members of our team. We look forward to our continued partnership with them and the growth of the fintech industry in the region."