WEF introduces The New Vision for Arab Employment

JEDDAH — Tamkeen announced its participation in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s initiative: The New Vision for Arab Employment, launched this week to help tackle the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s high youth unemployment rate and close the skills gap. Under the scheme 100,000 individuals, across the MENA region will receive skills training and job readiness preparation by the end of 2017, enhancing their employability and investing in the long-term economic growth of the region. As one of the Founding Partners, Bahrain labor fund Tamkeen has committed to provide training for up to 20,000 young people and to support the development of 2,000 of the Kingdom’s entrepreneurs over the course of the next two years,  making Tamkeen one of the largest participators in the pledge. Chairman of Tamkeen, Shaikh Mohammed Bin Essa Al Khalifa, said: “WEF’s latest initiative is a valuable chance for the region to invest in the training and education of its promising young people and to help businesses to take advantage of the talent pool on their doorstep”. “Tamkeen is committed to providing training, advice and support for those who need it; by the end of 2015 we had  supported over 130,000 individuals and enterprises.  By participating in The New Vision for Arab Employment we hope to encourage more Bahrainis to fulfil their true potential. Bahrain already has in place the network of supporting institutions that will allow the beneficiaries of this initiative to develop and thrive and we look forward to working with these organizations to ensure their success.” Speaking from Davos where the WEF Annual Meeting is currently taking place, Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), said on the launch of the initiative: “Developing the education and skills of the Bahraini workforce has always been a priority for the government. This has produced great results and Bahrain now has one of the most highly-educated populations in the region, but there is always more to be done.  Initiatives such as these are a great way to inspire people and encourage their personal development, and in Bahrain they will always find help and advice available from organizations like Tamkeen and the EDB.” The New Vision for Arab Employment provides a platform to help business leaders in the region address factors contributing to unemployment and skills gap, to date, 14 regional organizations have made specific commitments to this goal including Saudi Telecom (STC), Zain Group, Al Shaya Group, King Abdullah Economic City, Jumeirah Group, Al Ghanim Industries, and Consolidated Contractors Company.  — SG