At 88 per cent, Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) has one of the highest staff nationalisation levels in the Gulf for major industrial companies, but this happy position was not reached overnight.

It came about through a combination of strategic planning, training and motivation.
“The Bahrainisation policy was given importance in the early stages and it was an important part of our long-term strategic planning,” Alba’s head of human resources Shaikh Bader Rashid Al Khalifa pointed out.
Planning for greater Bahrainisation was stimulated both by pride in having one’s own citizens assuming responsibilities in technical and administrative jobs and by management’s confidence in their competence.
“We believe that Bahrainis are capable, productive and efficient if provided the right environment and opportunities,” observes Shaikh Bader.  Alba set about by providing Bahrainis with all the means conducive to career growth.
The company says its employees’ commitment, deduction and expertise continued over the years to propel it to greater heights and that not many are aware of their achievements.
Not that they have been ignored entirely.
In 2004 Alba was presented with the prestigious Outstanding Company of the Year award. Presenting it at a ceremony held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa was the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs who remarked about Alba’s “remarkable performance in the areas of recruitment, training and safety.” The company was also presented with an award in recognition of its Bahrainisation success.
Earlier in the year, Huma Assiri, Alba’s Line 5 civil engineering and infrastructure manager, was honoured by King Hamad with the “Competence Order of the First Class” for her contributions to the industrial sector. Assiri had joined Alba in 1975 as a trainee while still studying, and Alba is particularly proud of her success.
Alba’s Reduction Line 5 manager Ahmed Ghuloom Al Mohri was honoured by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Molsa) as an Outstanding Manager in recognition of his efforts in developing the kingdom’s human resources. Electrical maintenance supervisor Yousif Amralla Ali was honoured as an Outstanding Employee and the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs presented both awards on behalf of the King. Believing that training is the key to Bahrainisation, Alba has proved that even in areas of intensive technological applications such as maintenance it is possible to improve Bahrainisation levels through systematic and well-structured programmes.
The company relies on two basic types of technical training, one of which is the apprenticeship programme for maintenance. Training for that is conducted both in the classroom and in the workshops, of which there are four – one each for the mechanical, electrical, vehicle maintenance and instrumentation fields. The second type of training is refresher courses for people working in various technical departments in the plant.
In non-technical fields Alba runs courses for management, health and safety, finance and IT.  Explains Shaikh Bader: “We use experts and professional trainers and we also have a ‘training the trainers’ course. The company has strong ties with international aluminium smelters and exchange visits. Lately we have included experiential training for management to promote teamwork and leadership and achieve objectives in management resources.”
In 2004, some 2,532 employees attended 13,532 training events. Of these 2,479 attended 12,382 events at Alba’s dedicated training facilities, 555 attended 1,029 events outside the plant, and 82 attended 101 events abroad. This amounts to an average of more than 5.34 training events per employee, which means that almost 86.4 per cent of the total Alba workforce received training in various areas in 2004.
Well-trained and well-performing staff are rewarded with promotions and monetary benefits. Alba has a scheme where staff is encouraged to suggest improvements that will bring savings. The best tips attract rewards. Once an employee suggested improvements to a manufacturer who found the advice so helpful he implemented the suggestion, says Shaikh Bader.
One of Alba’s greatest contributions in human resources development was the ‘Training for Bahrain’ programme, whose aim was to raise the skills of young and unqualified Bahrainis so that contractors would select them for the Potline 5 project rather than take in more foreigners than necessary. It looked beyond the project, hoping many would find employment in the wider construction market.
The concept was the first of its kind and involved working with government authorities and private contractors. Alba allocated $2.1 million for the project and partnered with Molsa, Bechtel and local contractors working on the project. Trainees learned carpentry, welding, electrical maintenance, mechanics, brick laying, safety, supervision and a host of other skills. Those who successfully completed the training were absorbed by the contractors. By the end of 2004, more than 800 had graduated from the programme and each has gone into the construction industry. Some have established their own businesses      
Alba’s attention to human resources and its motivation for performance excellence has led to higher job satisfaction, a survey showed. At the end of 2004 more than 95 per cent of the staff felt that Alba was a “creative and innovative place to work” and an equal number believed that “teamwork was helping them achieve better results,” the survey revealed.
Commenting on the Potline 5 performance, Shaikh Bader remarked: “The level of commitment and dedication has been unbelievable. When the workers knew they were out on a goal to put Bahrain on the international map they became more dedicated. They have demonstrated they are experienced and capable, and they dealt with challenges and obstacles in a most professional way.”