The Bahrain Labour Fund (Tamkeen) has teamed up with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to launch the Bahrain Skills and Gender Parity Accelerator, an initiative designed to close the gender skills gap in high-growth industries and increase the participation of both current and future generations of Bahraini workers. The announcement was made during the 55th Annual Meeting of the WEF in Davos, aligning with the event’s theme, “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.”
The agreement was signed in the presence of key dignitaries, including His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Isa bin Salman Education Charitable Trust, and H.E. Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy. Other notable attendees included H.E. Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development, and Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Chairman of WEF.
Bahrain has been a regional leader in gender parity and wage equality, as evidenced by its ranking in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2024. It has also been recognized globally for its education system, with girls outperforming boys in learning outcomes according to both the Forum and the World Bank. Bahrain’s efforts to reskill and upskill its workforce through digital and STEM-focused training aim to bridge global talent gaps and prepare the nation for future challenges.
Sriram Gutta, Head of Engagement and Operations at WEF, highlighted the success of the accelerator’s first cycle, which mobilized over $2.5 million in funding and trained more than 54,500 individuals. The next cycle will focus on increasing gender parity in high-growth sectors and future jobs. The Bahrain Skills and Gender Parity Accelerator is part of a network of over 35 similar initiatives worldwide, supporting local and transformative changes in talent development.
Bahrain’s commitment to workforce development is exemplified by the creation of the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), which provides government-backed training and programs to close gender gaps in male-dominated industries. The country’s 2024 initiative, Skills Bahrain, collaborates with employers, training providers, and government entities to address skills gaps in key sectors.
The new accelerator will be managed by Skills Bahrain, in coordination with the Bahrain Economic Development Board and the Labour Fund, and will involve partnerships with private sector leaders. The program will leverage global research from WEF and other stakeholders to provide insights into gender-based skills gaps and support an actionable talent development strategy.
Bahrain’s focus on female empowerment and upskilling young, bilingual talent has earned the country a global ranking of 4th for women in managerial positions and women with degrees, according to the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2024. Its diverse workforce and strong standing as a service hub have attracted global companies like AWS and Citi, which established its Global Technology Hub in Bahrain in 2021, pledging to hire 1,000 Bahraini coders.
