The office training incubator, which is the first initiative of its kind in Bahrain, will support 15 individuals with disability per year, and see students undertake 9 hours of study a week, over the course of a full academic year. Through a curriculum of 8 modules, delivered in both English and Arabic, by the Bahrain Training Institute, students will learn a mix of theoretical and practical office skills. The curriculum will cover core skills such as: Work Ethics, IT Skills, Business Communication, Time Management, Customer Relations, English, Secretarial Skills and Maths.
The initiative has been made possible, and fully equipped, as a result of the generosity of staff members of BNP Paribas who collectively raised $50,000 to fund this project.
During the event, Dr. Fatema Al Baloushi, Minister of Social Development highlighted the importance of effective community partnerships between the government and private sector, and thanked BNP Paribas for developing and equipping the Office Training Incubator.
“Offering training and qualifications to individuals with disability is essential in providing them with the necessary skills required in today’s local labour market. Initiatives such as the BNP Paribas Office Training Incubator will play a pivotal role in supporting students in their future careers,” the Minister said.
Nejib Friji, Director, United Nations Information Centre hailed BNP Paribas on the BNP Paribas Office Training Incubator.
“This is an initiative that meets once again the commitment of a large number of corporates to the UN initiative Invest in Development.”
He also commended the Ministry of Social Development for its efforts to integrate individuals with disability into different sectors by re-enforcing their intellectual professional capacities. The UN reiterates its position that disabled persons are part of the solution and not the problem highlighting that more than 700 million disabled persons in our planet have the right to be fully integrated and involved in the development process, while guaranteeing their full human rights.
“We place a great deal of importance on undertaking sustainable educational projects which support our local communities. Through the BNP Paribas Office Training Incubator, we hope that many individuals with disability will have access to training opportunities that will allow them to advance their careers,” Jean-Christophe Durand said.
The Office Training Incubator achieves a key goal of the BNP Paribas MEA STARS Community Investment Program and reinforces the Kingdom of Bahrain’s national principle of breaking barriers and providing equal opportunities to persons with disability.