Bahrain to study labour skills gap
Gulf Daily News, April 24, 2008
Article by Soman Baby

The Labour Fund (LF) has entrused Australian company The Allen Consulting Group (ACG), to conduct the year-long study.

LF acting chief executive Abdulellah Al Qassimi signed a BD450,000 contract yesterday with ACG director Professor Stephen Bartos.

The ceremony, held at Novotel Al Dana Resort, was attended by stakeholder representatives and the media.

The LF has launched the most in-depth and comprehensive study of skill-set and occupations available in Bahrain, against the backdrop of booming economic growth and a labour market driven by an educated, youth-dominant population, said Mr Al Qassimi.

The study will define what the kingdom's labour market requirements in terms of skills and occupations, he noted.

A presentation on the skills gaps was made by the Labour Fund's research and numerical simulation analyst of the planning and development division Nadine Al Shirawi.

Professor Bartos spoke about the methodology and scope of the project that will be conducted.

ACG, together with a team of Australian research professionals and economic specialists, will work with other Australian affiliates and a Bahraini group for approximately a year to conduct the study and deliver the expected results.

"Bahrain is currently re-shaping its future with three key reform movements - economic, labour market and educational system," said Mr Al Qassimi.

"The study will provide a detailed analysis of existing and emerging skills gaps, shortages, requirements and trends to assist in re-aligning our educational and training systems to more effectively respond to labour market needs and demands.

"In the long term, this will have a dramatic impact on the employment market because Bahrainis will be equipped with more relevant and demand-driven skills to meet market needs."

LF officials said that the selection of ACG was made after calling for a public tender through the Tender Board and following in-depth evaluation and assessment of all short-listed proposals.

ACG scored specifically higher in the quality and technical dimensions set forth by LF and provided more competitive pricing.

The surveys that make up the main study will focus on skills groups and individual occupations across 10 economic sectors, including construction, business services, information communication technology (ICT), telecommunications, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, trade, health, education and the public sector, said Prof Bartos.

"ACG will use qualitative and quantitative research methodologies in addition to scenario analysis, using rigorous econometric modelling techniques in order to come up with the desired outcomes," he added.

Built into the study is a knowledge transfer component - while a consortium of three Australian organisations will lead the study, there will be active participation by a select Bahraini organisation.

This move, says the LF, will enhance knowledge transfer on managing and analysing data collection by Bahraini companies, a crucial component in tracking change and predicting future market requirements.

The Australian-based companies are: The Allen Consulting Group, which is the primary organisation; a subsidiary of The ACG called the Centre for Corporate Public Affairs; and the Eidos Institute which is a consortium of Australian universities.

"We are confident that this study will meet the LF's criteria - not only will it be in-depth but also cover a representative sample that will enable us to base future investment decisions, initiatives and actions on a more valid and reliable data and information base," said LF vice-president for enterprise and human capital development, Dr Ahmed Abdul Ghani Al Shaikh.

"In Bahrain as in the rest of the GCC, we urgently need to build a workplace skills inventory that will enable us to work towards unified skills and occupational standards.

"This will then help educational and training delivery systems to upgrade their teaching and above all, it will make Bahrainis more mobile since their qualifications will meet region-wide standards."

The benefits of the study will be shared by employers, employees, students and job-seekers, who will be able to make more informed decisions about their own future and about the growth and development of their corporations and industry sectors, said Dr Al Shaikh.

"In addition, universities and schools will utilise the findings extensively for career guidance, awareness and development," he added.

"Training providers will also gear their provisions towards satisfying market demand. Labour market policy makers will also benefit considerably."

Prof Bartos said the study would result in a high-level analysis of the Bahrain labour market and skills development from a regional perspective.

It will determine how the Bahrain labour market is performing compared to other GCC countries.

The study will forecast demand for skills by sector to identify skills gaps and requirements, through scenario analysis that will identify a number of possible futures for the Bahrain labour market.

It will help develop a five to 10-year forecast and strategic skills plan to address the identified gaps and requirements.

"We are currently working with the LF to appoint a Bahraini project manager, who will assist in organising and conducting fieldwork, assisting with the proposed conference; and organising the translation of research materials from English into Arabic, and vice versa ," said Prof Bartos.

"We are aware of the key challenges that the LF is trying to address through its strategic plan 2007-2010, such as stagnating wages, standards of living, low skills development, expansion of the lower class, business performance, and ways of implementing enforcement and standardisation."

The findings from the project will assist the LF to achieve its strategy of capitalising and developing value-added Bahraini talent and skills in rewarding careers and to enable the private sector to identify the skills it requires, said Mr Al Qassimi.

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