The programme, offered in collaboration with NIIT, is one of many Tamkeen initiatives seeking to develop the skills and capabilities of Bahrainis according to labour market requirements to enhance their employability and increase their contribution to private sector growth and overall economic development.
A total of 44 students received their certificates at the ceremony at NIIT’s headquarters in Bahrain International Investment Park in Salman Industrial City, including 36 trainees who obtained an accredited certificate from Britain’s ‘Wigan Leigh College’, while the 8 other trainees were qualified for the ‘Edexcel’ certificates.
Tamkeen funded the cost of training, which also included intensive courses at a number of industrial companies in Bahrain with guaranteed employment in those companies after graduation.
Commenting on the occasion, Tamkeen Chief Executive Mahmood Hashem Al-Kooheji underlined the ongoing cooperation between Tamkeen and relevant organisations from both the public and private sector.
“This collaboration not only guarantees the effectiveness of our programmes in addressing the most pressing needs of the labour market, but also facilitates public-private partnerships which are a key catalyst for economic growth of the Kingdom,” he said.
Al-Kooheji also congratulated the graduates on their achievement, and said, “Today you have joined the tens of thousands of Bahrainis who took it upon themselves to develop their capabilities through Tamkeen’s human capital development programmes. We at Tamkeen are truly honoured to serve all Bahrainis as they are unquestionably our nation’s most important asset.”
Mr. Emad Al Moayad, Chairman of NIIT, said, “Bahrain’s industrial strategy that is being implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce seeks to increase the contribution of the industrial sector in the economy up to 25% from its current 17%, which will require the sector to spend more on training their employees.”
Mr. Al Moayad added, “We are very happy for this achievement by NIIT, taking hands of these young men, and training them until they obtain a high accredited certificate from an international awarding body. What sets NIIT’s programmes apart is that trainees are guaranteed jobs. Eleven companies will be hiring these graduates after successfully completing their training programme.”
The 11 companies that offered jobs for the graduates were: ASRY Co, Ebrahim K. Kanoo Co, National Motor Co, BRC Weldmesh Co, Euro Motors Co, Ameeri Industries, Motor City Co, Abdulla Ahmed Bin Hindi Co, Deeko Bahrain Co, Turk Mechanical Industries, and Behbehani Brothers Co.
Through its programmes, NIIT secured jobs for the trainees after completing their vocational training by working closely with companies in Bahrain, using special training that meets their needs, and provides them with the right, trained graduates.
NIIT was established five years ago by a group of 53 business leaders in Bahrain to train Bahrainis to enhance their chances of employment. NIIT worked with 800 companies in Bahrain that specialise in engineering, commerce, and industrial fields. NIIT key clients included ASRY, ALBA and others. Besides these industrial training, NIIT also provides special training in management skills, computing and other office-related jobs. It also plans to provide training dedicated to females in the near future.
More than 77,000 Bahraini individuals and enterprises in Bahrain have benefited from Tamkeen programmes to date, and the total number of beneficiaries from existing and planned programmes is expected to rise to more than 150,000.