Bahrain’s Labour Fund is conducting a comprehensive study to analyse the current skills inventory in the kingdom's labour market.

The Skills Gaps Study, being done through Allen Consulting Group (ACG), a highly respected Australian consultancy firm, will also look at future and emerging skills requirements.

The study will provide a detailed analysis of existing and emerging skills gaps, shortages, requirements and trends across 11 economic sectors to assist in realigning Bahrain’s educational and training systems to more effectively respond to labour market needs and demands.

Allen Consulting Group (ACG) has appointed Ernst & Young (Bahrain), as the local partner for the study. 

Ms Tonia Barnes, senior manager of ACG, said: “The Allen Consulting Group are pleased to be partnering with Ernst & Young in such an important study that will forecast demand for skills by sector to identify skills gaps and requirements and using scenario analysis to identify a number of possible future outlooks for the Bahrain labour market.”

The consulting team lead by ACG will be conducting a series of in-depth interviews with important stakeholders in order to help gather the data on which the project will rely and finalise a situational analysis. These interviews will be followed by surveys with employers, employees and graduates. 

Ernst & Young will be working closely with ACG to complete survey field work in Bahrain and assist with, among other things, the collection of information.

James Moye, partner of Ernst & Young, said: "We are aware of the key challenges that the Bahrain Labour Fund is trying to address through its Strategic Plan 2007 -2010.  We are also pleased to be working with The Allen Consulting Group from Australia."

On behalf of the Labour Fund, acting chief executive Abdulellah Al Qassimi emphasised the need to analyse the gaps between the current skills levels of the Bahrain labour force and the future and emerging skills requirements. 

It is anticipated that the study will take approximately 10 months to complete with a final report being delivered in February 2009.  -TradeArabia News Service