Tamkeen can easily be described as an enabler and miracle for the Bahraini startup ecosystem. Since the semi-governmental labor fund was launched in 2006, over 60% of businesses supported were startups were supported and the number of people benefitting from Tamkeen’s services exceeds 5000. Tamkeen offers many exciting services for your startup, and the process of applying couldn’t be easier now with the newly revamped website.
We spoke to Tamkeen, to see how the labor fund can help you. Did you know that you can…
- Get trained and certified:
If you’re a startup employee currently stuck in your position and want a leg up, Tamkeen can subsidize the costs of a professional certificate. Whether you want to be a PMP (project management professional), CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CFA (Certified Financial Accountant), or really any certified professional, Tamkeen is there either to cover the full cost or pay 50%. You can surf their programs and find the details and/or specifications here. Also, if you’re considering an alternative or quirky career path, Tamkeen subsidizes the cost of getting a gardening, cooking, or therapy certification. The sky’s the limit with Tamkeen.If you want some learn some basic skills, Tamkeen’s flagship Basic Skills Certification can help you learn more about accounting, marketing, business English, etc.Another exciting program that Tamkeen rolled out was the internship program which is there to empower you while you’re studying at a Bahraini university. And we’re not talking about “training” in the formal, rigid sense, but an internship with exciting and dynamic ways of developing yourself as a university student. To learn more about the intern as well as international placement programs here. - Support your employees:
Did you know that Tamkeen can partly pay for (subsidize) your startup employees and even train them? Tamkeen offers grants and finance schemes that can help pay your employees and train them as well.Fresh Graduates get a wage subsidy for 3 years (70% / 50% / 30% of the salary per year respectively, up to BD 500). Experienced Employees get a wage subsidy of for 3 years (25% of the salary up to BD 250). For further details, look at their wage support programs here.
As Khaled Al-Alawi mentioned, “Think of Tamkeen grants as money that’s directed as a gift”. With the help of Tamkeen, you’ll be able to recruit and retain top talent, which is essential in any competitive environment. - Develop your business:
Furthermore, if you want to grow your business, you should consider their business development schemes, co-financing programs that can subsidize covers 50% of the approved items/service. Look through their financing schemes here. - Get mentored and coached:
Perhaps the most recent and exciting Tamkeen programs are the mentoring and coaching programs, part of the business advisory services run by Khaled Al Alawi who argues that mentoring trumps financing in many ways. Tamkeen has partnered with the following mentors: Cherie Al Nooh, Afnan Al Zayani, Moez Al Kassam, Ahmed Alsairafi, and many others.With mentorship, whether it’s business-oriented or career-oriented, you can troubleshoot what’s going on in your company. Say for example your startup has a high turnover. Certified coaches will help you think outside the box to find out how you can best work on your HR. You can also go to workshops Tamkeen provides to add to your skills in accounting, finance, and marketing. Check out their mentoring and coaching services here.
Tamkeen is changing the mindset of individuals to allow them to succeed. With Tamkeen resources, you need to do some digging and find out what works for you. If you feel stuck, visit any of the Tamkeen customer service branches. Stay tuned on our website for more guides on Tamkeen.