The Ministry of Labor reported that a joint working team was formed between representatives of the Ministry and representatives of Empower Bahrain Skills, the Labor Market Regulatory Authority, and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where they worked during the last period to prepare for the Bahrain Skills Project. The team also developed visions and practical procedures regarding the implementation of the Council of Ministers’ decision. About the Bahrain Skills Project, especially the development of professional standards and requirements for practicing 25 practical professions.
The technical professions for which professional standards have been set within the Bahrain Skills Project, according to the Ministry of Labor, are summarized in 22 professions as follows: the welding profession with all its branches, the insulation materials installer profession with all its branches, the occupational health and safety officer profession with all its branches, the tile installer profession with all its branches, the water withdrawal profession. Construction in all its branches, the carpenter profession in all its branches, the car mechanic profession in all its branches, the heavy machinery mechanic profession in all its branches, the heavy equipment maintenance mechanic profession in all its branches, the asphalt paving profession in all its branches, the steel parts casting profession in all its branches, the rock drilling and drilling profession in all its branches, The profession of a grinder with all its branches, the profession of working on steel with all its branches, the profession of a scaffolding/scaffold installer with all its branches, the profession of manufacturing aluminum doors with all its branches, the profession of an operator of road and construction equipment and machines with all its branches, the profession of an operator of industrial equipment and machines with all its branches, the profession of an equipment operator. And factory work machinery in all its branches, the profession of dyer in all its branches, the profession of precision instrument operator and control in all its branches, the profession of installer of pipes and sanitary installations in all its branches.
In its response to a question submitted by MP Ahmed Al Salloum regarding the most prominent developments in the Bahrain Skills Project, the Ministry of Labor pointed out that there are 3 other professions that will not be included in the decision because there are other government agencies concerned with granting professional licenses to them, which are the professions of electrician, plumber, and air conditioner repairman.
She explained that the importance of developing standards and setting professional requirements for the above-mentioned professions lies in the presence of a large percentage of workers in the labor market working in these professions, stressing that the labor market is in dire need of defining clear standards for these professions in order to identify the appropriate people to practice them and thus improve the quality of the products and services provided, in addition to To reduce the skills gap and create job opportunities for Bahrainis in these professions.
As for the expected time for the issuance of the ministerial decision regarding the implementation of this project, the Ministry indicated that the draft ministerial decision has been prepared, which is based on Article 6 of Law No. (17) of 2007 regarding vocational training, which stipulates: “The Minister shall issue, after the approval of the Council, a decision determining The authorities responsible for measuring the skill level of each profession, the certificates granted by those authorities, the data that must be proven in those certificates, the fees for granting these certificates, and cases of exemption from these fees.” It will be submitted to the Council of Ministers after being agreed upon with the Labor Fund during the coming period.
With regard to the operational plan to ensure the implementation of the decision, the most prominent features of the operational plan and the budget necessary for its implementation and the entities that supervise it, the Ministry of Labor reported that those concerned with empowering Bahrain’s skills, in coordination with it and in cooperation with concerned business owners, updated the professional standards for the professions referred to above that are subject to the decision by specifying the descriptions. The job description shows their professional paths and the sectors to which they belong. The main tasks related to each profession and the technical skills and competencies related to them have been identified, in addition to the required skills and behaviors and training standards.
The Ministry pointed out that the most important features of the operational plan supervised by the relevant authorities referred to are as follows:
1) Professional licenses and authorizations, as it will undertake the task of issuing professional licenses to individuals wishing to practice the aforementioned professions after they pass a test to measure the skill level, which will be implemented by government and private agencies that have met the standards of international donor bodies set by the Ministry in cooperation with Bahrain Skills Empowerment. It will also grant licenses to entities wishing to practice the activity. Measuring the skill level, in addition to granting licenses to testers according to the skill level who will work for these entities based on the standards of international donor agencies.
2) Linking professional licenses to work permits, as professional licenses will be linked to work permits, whether for registered expatriate workers or those working for employers, by linking the electronic system for professional licenses at the Ministry to the work permit system at the Labor Market Regulatory Authority, and thus the work permit will automatically stop for workers who do not You can pass the test to measure the skill level required to obtain a professional license.
3) Skill level measurement bodies expected to participate in the project, as licenses will be granted to bodies wishing to carry out the skill level measurement activity based on the standards of international donor bodies. As for those bodies, they are as follows:
-Private centers that practice the activity of measuring the skill level of a profession or a number of professions, and have a commercial register from the Ministry of Trade and Industry for an activity under the name of measuring the skill level.
-Private training institutes that practice the activity of measuring the skill level of a profession or a number of professions, in addition to training activities.
-Governmental institutes or universities that practice the activity of measuring the skill level of a profession or a number of professions.
-Private institutions that practice the activity of measuring the skill level of a profession or a number of professions because they are considered pioneers in the fields of those professions or have the capabilities through which they can adhere to the requirements and standards of international donor bodies. The joint work team between the Ministry of Labor, Bahrain Skills Empowerment, the Labor Market Regulatory Authority and the Chamber of Commerce Bahrain industry held several meetings with a number of those mentioned entities, and the majority expressed their willingness to carry out this activity.
4) Identifying international donor bodies. The work team met with a number of international donor bodies concerned with the aforementioned professions, where they expressed their willingness to cooperate with both the Ministry and Bahrain Skills Empowerment in order to set standards for granting professional licenses to those wishing to practice professions and standards for granting licenses to bodies wishing to carry out measurement activities. Skill level, in addition to the criteria for granting laboratory licenses, the skill level of those who will work for those entities.
5) Establishing the electronic system. Work will be done on preparing the electronic system related to issuing professional licenses and licences, and coordination is underway with the Tamkeen Labor Fund to determine how to finance it.
6) Supporting professional licenses for Bahrainis
The Tamkeen Labor Fund will support Bahrainis who wish to obtain licenses to practice any of the aforementioned professions.
7) Awareness campaigns: A vision has been developed for awareness campaigns that will be implemented for all concerned parties, whether government agencies, business owners, or workers, in conjunction with the issuance of the ministerial decision.
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