Gulf Daily News Tuesday, 18th November 2014 13 Jobless database is launched Email: [email protected] By RAJI UNNIKRISHNAN A BD1.7 million project that involves creating a national database to help tackle unemployment has been launched. n Mr Humaidan, seated, left, and Ms Tomlinson sign the contract The Labour Market Observatory (LMO) will contain information on jobseekers and the labour market, identifying any skills gaps and training requirements for available positions. Work will start in February and should take 26 to the GDN on the sidelines of months to complete. “The project will make it the LMO contract signing yeseasy for the relevant deci- terday at the Labour Ministry, sion-makers to strike a bal- in Isa Town. UK-based company Tribal ance between job demand has been awarded the and labour market contract for the fiveneeds,” Labour phase project. Ministry’s Human Labour Minister JaResources Developmeel Humiadan and ment director Essam Tribal managing diIsmail Alalawi told rector Janet Tomlinson the GDN. signed the contract in “The LMO’s the presence of Tamobjective is also keen’s chairman and to project future requirements of n Mr Peters acting chief executive Shaikh Mohammed bin the labour market, which will help parents Essa Al Khalifa, Labour Minisand students to make the try Under-Secretary Sabah Al right choices regarding their Dossary, Tribal business development director Simon Peters higher studies. “The observatory will and other officials. “The project, which is part also allow higher education establishments to prepare of Bahrain’s Economic Vision the educational, academic 2030, aims to streamline all and practical programmes data related to the labour marthat will suit labour market ket, which now lies scattered requirements – and in turn among various government enreduce the unemployment tities,” Mr Humaidan told the GDN. rate in the country.” “The gap lies in the outcome Mr Alalawi was speaking n Mr Humaidan, seventh from left, and officials at the signing of education and training and the actual requirement of the labour market in the country. “The national efforts are commendable, but we need to have a system in place that will streamline these efforts so that we have one integrated platform. “The LMO is the ministry’s first step to make sure that we have such a system adapted into our organisation as a government. “It will collect information that will help to identify and analyse trends and challenges and come up with permanent solutions by adapting recommendations into policy-making, training and the higher education strategic planning levels.” Mr Peters said the groundwork had already been done for the project, which would help Bahrain plan ahead with its labour market strategy. “Many nations today are looking ahead and thinking about the big technological changes that lie ahead,” said Jump start your professional career! FIA Foundations in Accountancy — UK ACCA Association of Chartered Certified Accountants — UK Registration deadline : 15 January 2015 Classes starting on : February 2015 EY Training Centre 36th floor, Al Moayyed Tower Seef District, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: 17 585 323, Fax: 17 585 302 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Web page: www.eytrainingcenter.com/bahrain/ Mr Peters. “These changes can have drastic impact on certain industries, which may no longer survive in the long run. “So we need to get an understanding of the current situation and then plan – it is important that we look ahead while planning and perhaps this is one big gap that we identified.” He said the LMO would consider key indicators to predict future job opportunities and labour market needs, adding that it could also identify jobs cur- rently dominated by expats that Bahrainis could be trained in. “There are a number of sectors in Bahrain which are currently served by expat workers, into which Bahrainis could be moved,” he explained. “It is important that Bahrainis are given the opportunity to move into these sectors and supported with the necessary skills. “The efforts needed are to be more systematic, which will also be part of our project.” Ministry staff will be trained on how to operate the database, but the licence for the system will have to be renewed every two years. The next phase of the project includes the formation of a steering committee that will include representatives from the Labour and Industry and Commerce ministries, the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, High Council for Vocational Training, Economic Development Board, Tamkeen, Labour Market Regulatory Authority, Higher Education Council, Central Informatics Organisation and Social Insurance Organisation. The GDN reported yesterday that Bahrain’s unemployment rate was currently steady at 3.6 per cent. [email protected]