Ministry of Labor and Social Development and the Ministry of Youth Affairs sign a memorandum of understanding

04-03-2020

A memorandum of understanding was signed today, Wednesday, between the Ministry of Labour and Social Development and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs, in implementation of the directives of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, His Majesty the King's Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, National Security Advisor, and President of the General Sports Authority, to move forward with the “Foras” programme to create training opportunities for Bahraini youth. His Excellency Jameel bin Mohammad Ali Humaidan, Minister of Labour and Social Development, and His Excellency Mr Ayman Bin Tawfiq Al Moayed, Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs, signed the memorandum, in the presence of several officials from both ministries, in the main hall of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development building in Zayed City. The MoU aims to establish a strategic partnership between the two parties, providing training opportunities for Bahraini youth through the “Foras” programme, an on-the-job vocational training programme. Job seekers are trained in private-sector establishments for a maximum of three years, during which they are provided with information and knowledge, their skills and talents are refined, and their capabilities are developed to reach the highest possible levels of professional growth and job performance. This will make them the ideal choice for employers, as qualified, competitive and sustainable cadres, contributing to the development and improvement of the production environment with precision, skill and high professionalism in all fields and various specialisations. On this occasion, His Excellency Jameel bin Mohammad Ali Humaidan, Minister of Labour and Social Development, praised the launch of the “Foras” programme by His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, which provides qualitative training opportunities for Bahraini youth, to develop their capabilities, enhancing their skills, honing their expertise and preparing them professionally to enter the labour market and lead entrepreneurship. He pointed out that launching such initiatives, which constitute a qualitative addition to the training and qualification programmes for national cadres and improving their professional and personal skills, contributes effectively to accelerating and facilitating the process of integrating them into the labour market, making them the ideal choice for employment, which will positively impact the national economy. In this context, Humaidan stressed the importance of promoting optimal investment in Bahraini human capital, creating a nurturing and stimulating environment for qualified cadres, integrating them into various specialisations in the labour market, and equipping them with the necessary technical and technological skills required by employers, making them the preferred choice for establishments when hiring. He called on employers to provide Bahraini youth with more opportunities to enrol in specialised training programmes that qualify national competencies to fill quality jobs in various productive sectors. For his part, His Excellency the Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs, Mr. Ayman Bin Tawfiq Al Moayed, affirmed that the signing of this memorandum represents a qualitative start to enhance joint work between the two sides in supporting Bahraini youth and investing their energies to participate in the wheel of development and production in the Kingdom of Bahrain. He praised the priority and attention given to the youth by the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, pointing out that the “Foras” programme aims to provide training opportunities for citizens in private‑sector establishments, develop their personal and professional capabilities in various fields, and enhance youth’s confidence in their abilities and skills to help them innovate and prepare them to enter the labour market and entrepreneurship. Under this agreement, the Ministry of Labour and Social Development is responsible for providing training opportunities that will equip job seekers with the necessary information, knowledge, and skills, and stimulate their abilities to achieve the highest possible levels of professional growth and excellent job performance. It will also monitor trainees during the training period, prepare relevant reports, and coordinate with employers to secure employment for trainees in their institutions. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs will provide the Ministry of Labour and Social Development with the needs and requirements of youth, and coordinate with youth bodies, internal and external organisations concerned with youth, and government agencies, to help the programme achieve its intended purpose. It will also seek to attract investment companies to participate in implementing the programme, and these companies will bear the financial rewards for trainees.