Job hunting made easy

Plans are on the anvil to create a new electronic employment mechanism to help Bahraini job seekers land their dream jobs, said Labour Minister. The mechanism, slated for launch next year, will be developed in cooperation with the Information and e-Government Authority. “This would enable job seekers to register in the Ministry’s lists and look for jobs that appeal to them directly,” said Labour and Social Development Minister, Jameel Humaidan.

The minister was attending the 35th annual ceremony to honour the outstanding employees and establishments in the private sector as deputised by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Labour Minister and Undersecretary Sabah Salim Al Dosary presented the honorees with certificates of appreciation and commemorative shields. The honouree list includes four prominent pioneers, ten institutions which cooperated with the National Employment Programme, two administrators who ensured the success of National Employment Programme, eight distinguished establishments, two small enterprises, eight distinguished administrators, two people who supported people with special needs and five workers with special needs.

Other honourees represented the sectors of non-organised economy workers (3), oil and gas (6), manufacturing industries (14), transportation and stores (9), banking, finance and insurance (7), contracting (8), trade (20), hospitality, restaurants and hotels (4) and other social activities (11). Ten workers in dangerous jobs and three involved in the professions which began to attract Bahrainis were also honoured.

The event, held under HM the King’s patronage, was organised by the Labour and Social Development Ministry, as part of the Kingdom’s celebrations of the Anniversary of HM King Hamad’s Accession to the Throne and the National Day. The minister conveyed congratulations of HM the King to the honourees and stressed that both the public and private sector are working hard to ensure the success of national workforce integration into the job sector. The National Employment Programme (NEP), the minister said, is an initiative in this direction.

“More than 9,000 nationals have been employed since the launch of NEP last February,” the minister said on the mechanism realised following the directives of Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier. The minister also shed light on other initiatives launched by the government to create suitable jobs for Bahrainis, citing a programme which opened 529 professions to Bahrainis and contributed to recruiting 1500 Bahraini university graduates so far.

The minister also pointed out the increase in the number of career expos this year. “A recent expo with more than 500 business owners offered over 3500 jobs to job seekers,” he said. On the training and rehabilitation of the national workforce, the minister said that over 1000 Bahraini job seekers were recruited so far through this programme.

Thirty-One training institutions have been honoured for performing well in the reviews of the Education and Training Quality Authority (BQA), the minister said noting that the government’s initiatives to employ and integrate the nationals in the labour market will continue. Afrah Mohammed Hassan Al-Rahmah, speaking on behalf of the honourees, affirmed their pride in being honoured during 03 such an occasion.