Humaidan: The success of the economic recovery plan in speeding up employment in the private sector

30-03-2023

Employing 7101 and training 2084 citizens in the Q1 of 2023 Number of Bahrainis in the private sector increased by 3.5% in 2022 H.E. Mr. Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, Minister of Labour and Chairman of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), focused on the role of the economic recovery plan in achieving positive results in speeding up the pace of employment of national cadres in various functional and professional sectors in the private sector. This came in light of the employment initiative of the economic recovery plan and making the citizen the first choice in the labour market. Humaidan explained that 7,101 citizens were employed in various private sector establishments, representing 35% of the target announced within the economic recovery plan of 20,000. Also, 2084 citizens were trained during the same period out of the total announced goal of 10,000 citizens for the current year 2023. This happened, as a result of the Cabinet's review of the latest employment and training developments within the economic recovery plan, during the period from January to March 2023. His Excellency indicated that the government continues to develop and launch qualitative stimulants and provide many encouraging incentives for the employment of university students, which contributed to raising the employment rates of citizens, especially university students, to 33% of the total employees in the first quarter of 2023, compared to 30% last year. The percentage of female employment increased to 44% of the total Bahraini employees in the private sector in the first quarter of 2023 compared to 40% in 2022. This increase reflects the importance of the recently launched government initiatives to accelerate the recruitment of engineers, lawyers, doctors and various specialties. Simply put, the existence of a qualified Bahraini workforce that manages the wheel of production in all economic and commercial sectors, which is attributable for its efficiency and high self-and professional capabilities is one of the reasons for the escalating growth of the productive sectors and an encouraging factor to stimulate and attract more foreign investments to the Kingdom of Bahrain. On this issue, the Labour Minister pointed out that the growth of the national economy resulted in an increase in the number of Bahrainis working in the private sector by 3.5% in 2022. Humaidan stated that according to the indicators and developments of the labour market, the average wage of Bahrainis in the private sector by the end of 2022 reached about BD780, commending in this context the cooperation of employers, their support and encouragement of national efforts to make the citizen the first choice in the labour market and their clear endeavor to make the employment initiative a success within the economic recovery plan. The minister also praised the confidence of employers and their pride in the national workforce, relying on them and attracting them to contribute to the development process. On this subject, the ministry has taken the initiative to publish the names of the 2805 companies that contributed to the employment of Bahrainis in the first quarter of this year on its website, in recognition of its contribution to employing 7101 Bahrainis in the mentioned period. With that said, Humaidan expressed his appreciation for the keenness of young Bahrainis to invest opportunities to prove their worth for success and excellence in the fields of work and production in private sector establishments.