Workplace challenges of Bahraini graduates and potential employers was the focus of a key seminar.

The Bahrain British Business Forum's (BBBF) Organisational Effectiveness Group's fourth seminar was held at the Capital Club.

The session featured a presentation by guest speaker Anfield Information managing director Steve Royston, who highlighted the challenges of entering the workplace for the first time from both the graduates' and employers' perspectives, including unrealistic expectations, theoretical versus practical knowledge, and the role of family in guiding career aspirations.

Royston discussed ways in which prospective professionals can better integrate themselves into the workplace and methods their employers can use to minimise the risk of unproductive hire or young people making poor choices.

'The GCC-wide push for job creation through economic diversification has resulted in countries allocating even more of their GDP to education, a ratio which was already amongst the highest in the world,' he said.

'For example, figures show the Saudi education budget to be around $37 billion and Bahrain's approaching $600 million,' he added.

There was also a panel discussion where members shared their views and experience on the issues discussed in the presentation.

Joining Royston on the panel were BDO partner Dr Ehsan Ghurbal, JWZ Solutions representative Dr Suzanne White and Dr Clare Beckett-McInroy of Bahrain Teachers' College (BTC) at the University of Bahrain, all of whom have many years of experience in the field of education and workplace needs.

'The panel covered a number of interesting areas such as challenges of matching skills with market needs, basic workplace skills such as business English and commercial maths - as well as the high expectations of graduates in the workplace,' said BBBF head of the group Jill Boggiss.

'This topic was of such interest that we will hold another meeting and encourage our own BBBF private sector members to share their views with young Bahrainis new to the workplace,' he added.-TradeArabia News Service