Counselors Rewire Student Futures

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A hundred career counsellors are at the centre of a quiet revolution in Bahrain’s education system, trained to turn labour data into student guidance in a first-ofits-kind collaboration between Skills Bahrain and the Ministry of Education.

The initiative is designed to rewire the role of school advisors, shifting them from academic helpers to informed navigators of a fast-changing labour market. Armed with data-rich digital tools, these counsellors are now expected to guide students into sectors where real opportunities lie, using a national platform that maps emerging careers, skill requirements, and industry demand.

Tools for the future The workshop, led by Skills Bahrain, an initiative under the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), introduced career advisors to a suite of new tools: Sector Skills Reports, Career Pathways Maps, and the National Occupational Standards. All are aimed at helping students make decisions based not just on interest, but on evolving job market realities.

At the heart of this ecosystem is the Employability Skills Portal, developed in partnership with the Information & eGovernment Authority. The platform gives students, parents, employers, and educators access to live insights on market needs and skills in demand, turning labour data into a shared compass for the next generation.

Classroom to economy

Through a mix of demonstrations and group exercises, the workshop trained counsellors to embed these tools into daily practice, moving beyond generic advice to tailored guidance linked directly to national economic strategies.

Assistant Undersecretary for Education H.E. Ibrahim Ali Al Burshaid praised the partnership, calling it a key move toward transforming how schools prepare students for the workforce. “This initiative supports our strategic vision to integrate real-world career insight into the educational journey,” he said.

Bridge to Bahrain’s next workforce

Skills Bahrain Managing Director Amer Marhoon said the goal is to empower students with “accurate information that allows them to make informed decisions,” and to ensure counsellors have the intelligence needed to support them.

He noted that the initiative also marks a shift in how education policy is executed, with schools becoming active participants in shaping Bahrain’s labour supply in line with national goals.

As Bahrain accelerates its transition to a data-driven, knowledge-based economy, guidance counsellors, once seen as sideline advisors, are being recast as frontline agents in the country’s workforce strategy.