Focus on Upskilling Bahrainis and Supporting SMEs

HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman Chairs Tamkeen’s Q2 Board Meeting

His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Isa bin Salman Educational Charitable Trust and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), chaired Tamkeen’s second quarterly Board of Directors Meeting for 2025.

The meeting reviewed Tamkeen’s achievements during the first half of the year and outlined strategic priorities for the remainder of 2025. Updates were also shared on the progress of Tamkeen’s core support pillars: Employment Support, Career Development Support, and Enterprise Support.

Empowering Bahrainis for a Future-Ready Workforce

HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman emphasized the importance of continued investment in Bahraini talent to build a skilled and competitive national workforce. He reaffirmed the commitment to create more opportunities for Bahrainis to develop their skills and thrive in various sectors, in line with the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

He stressed the need for targeted initiatives that position Bahrainis as the top choice in the labour market, with a strong focus on preparing them for future jobs, particularly in fields requiring technical expertise and artificial intelligence.

Support for SMEs and Technological Transformation

In line with national efforts to promote innovation and competitiveness, HH Shaikh Isa issued directives to launch new programmes that enable Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to adopt advanced technologies, drive business growth, and enhance productivity.

These directives complement an earlier initiative to train 50,000 Bahrainis in artificial intelligence, announced during the previous board meeting, as part of a broader digital transformation strategy.

Over 7,700 Bahrainis Supported in the First Half of 2025

Tamkeen Chief Executive Maha Abdulhameed Mofeez presented a comprehensive report on the fund’s progress in the first half of the year. Key highlights included:

• Support provided to over 7,700 Bahrainis entering the labour market

• Training and career development opportunities extended to more than 9,200 Bahrainis

• Assistance delivered to over 3,600 enterprises across sectors to drive growth and digital transformation

Strategic Priorities for 2025

The Board also reviewed upcoming initiatives aligned with Tamkeen’s overarching goals for 2025. These include:

• Enhancing the competitiveness of Bahrainis in the private sector

• Equipping the workforce with future-ready and digital skills

• Driving enterprise growth, innovation, and digitisation

• Strengthening the wider ecosystem surrounding the labour market and the private sector

The meeting reaffirmed Tamkeen’s commitment to advancing Bahrain’s vision for a sustainable, inclusive, and innovation-driven economy.