Cooperation between the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and "IKEA Bahrain" to train 50 citizens on the job

11-09-2020

Assistant Under‑Secretary for Labour Affairs at the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, Mr. Ahmed Jaafar Al Hayki, met with IKEA Bahrain’s Human Resources Manager, Ms. Hanadi Al Aali, to advance cooperation on the company’s initiative entitled “Making Bahrainis the Employer’s First Choice for Employment.” Under this programme, IKEA Bahrain will provide six months of on‑the‑job training to fifty Bahraini jobseekers who are registered with the Ministry. The curriculum is designed to equip participants with practical skills in marketing, customer service, catering, graphic design, interior design and other specialist disciplines, enhancing their employability across the retail and services sectors. Al Hayki affirmed that the initiative aligns with the Ministry’s strategic objective of qualifying and training national talent so that Bahrainis become the preferred choice for employers, adding that the Ministry supports every opportunity that contributes to integrating national human resources into quality positions offered by private‑sector establishments. Ms. Al Aali expressed appreciation for the Ministry’s cooperation, noting that the programme will enable trainees to develop their professional skills and personal capabilities through structured workplace experience, thereby easing their transition into the labour market. She highlighted that IKEA Bahrain has already hired 350 Bahraini citizens—representing 67 per cent of its workforce—since commencing operations in the Kingdom, and reiterated the company’s commitment to expanding opportunities for national talent.