In Bahrain, young people – those under 25 years of age – make up nearly half of the population. To create enough jobs for Bahrain’s youth, entrepreneurs and aspiring businesspeople will need to equip themselves with the necessary skills that will allow them to thrive in a dynamic global economy. A number of entrepreneurship initiatives have grown up to respond to this need. These include programs offered by Tamkeen, the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bahrain Polytechnic, the University of Bahrain, and the Bahrain Development Bank.
Established in 2006 as part of Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, Tamkeen’s mission is to support Bahrain’s private sector to become the main driver of economic development in the country. Tamkeen’s programs have benefited more than 100,000 Bahrainis, and in 2013 alone, Tamkeen assisted more than 600 startups. Its programs include: a business incubator; the “Mashroo3i” Youth Business Plan Competition for students between ages 16 and 23; and programs for secondary and university students which are offered with INJAZ and AIESEC.
The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry provides a variety of services to entrepreneurs and SMEs in order to promote growth and development, including providing policy and regulatory information and advice so that members can more effectively manage and develop their businesses. The Chamber creates and implements high quality training courses to develop the skills of entrepreneurs, such as the En6leq program, run from its SME Development and Support Center.
The goal of Bahrain Polytechnic is to produce assured, competent and effective graduates able to implement their skills in a practical work place environment. Its Entrepreneurship Orientation Program is a highly participatory five-day program that starts with presentations from Bahraini entrepreneurs outlining their success stories. Sessions are designed to increase student creativity in order to solve technical problems.
The University of Bahrain helps create a culture of youth with entrepreneurial mindsets and helps existing businesses grow their success. The University programs focus on innovation and creative thinking, as well as practical technical skills. The University houses the Business Incubator Center in cooperation with the Bahrain Development Bank.
The mission of the Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) is to promote entrepreneurship and innovation, assisting and promoting self-employment of Bahrainis. The target audience for the BDB’s Entrepreneurship Orientation Program is university students and young working executives. The Entrepreneurship Development Program is a follow-on program, conducted in cooperation with the Bahrain Institute of Entrepreneurship & Technology, which sees students completing a final business plan prior to graduation.
CIPE, in cooperation with the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan and select Bahraini organizations, is offering a trainers’ workshop this December. It marks the start of an effort to introduce entrepreneurial leadership to university students, enhance experiential learning, and prepare graduates to find their way through the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Kim Bettcher is Senior Knowledge Manager at CIPE.
