>> From Bahrain, it's theCUBE. Covering AWS Public Sector Bahrain. Brought to you by Amazon Web Services. >> Welcome back, everyone, this is theCUBE's coverage of AWS Summit and Bahrain in the Middle East where cloud computing is changing the game from start-ups, business, government, and society. And of course training and skill development is job number one. We have two great guests here. Esam Hammad, who's director of partnerships and customer engagement at Tamkeen. Thanks for joining us, appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Ahmed AlHujairy, CEO of ThinkSmart for development and training, welcome back. Good to see you. >> Good to see you too. >> Last year we talked about training being important. Guess what? Number one talking point here this week has been cloud computing degrees, certificates, more training. This has been a real enabler, a real focus area. You guys have been actively involved. >> Correct. >> Helping, subsidizing, creating incentives. So this is a real push. Is it just the growth? Is it a needed part? Give us an update. >> So in terms of our mandates in Tamkeen, one of our key priorities is to actually upscale Bahrainis and make them the number one choice for the private sector. And obviously when you consider the future of jobs, you know, there's a huge digital element. And so far we've been able to sort of adapt to market requirements, the growing industry requirements. So with the set up of AWS in Bahrain, there is an obvious need to build that knowledge and know-how within the market. So we've been able to introduce programs to actually develop that knowledge within the market. Both in the private sector and to some extent within the public sector as well. Whereby we've been able to provide these sort of vendor-specific certifications. In this case, provided by AWS. Whereby we are able to subsidize completely the cost of training for any Bahraini that is looking to get certified in various fields such as system architecture for example. Where there's going to be a greater need if we are really going to be positioning ourself as a cloud nation. You know, that is really going to be required for the individuals that will drive this sort of revolution and migrate onto the cloud. >> It's certainly, certainly relevant, you get done a great job. But I'll tell you, in the hallway conversations that I've had, it's trickling down to start-ups. Some side conversations I've had has been, "Wow, this is really great market, I can find great talent "from the university and I get credits." Tamkeen's been involved. You guys are also trickling, not just for education. It's hitting the accelerator piece. So it's like it's a crossover. >> Absolutely. >> And is that part of the plan? >> Definitely. I mean, part of developing our entrepreneurship mindset and capability is really to drive forward our agenda to actually make the private sector in Bahrain the engine of growth. And given the size of our economy, you know, start-ups are required to sort of have that expansion mentality from day one. They just can't afford to be limited. So there are cloud technologies that really enable companies to scale fast. And, you know, part of this building this sort of know-how in cloud technologies will really help our entrepreneurs get there faster. >> You know, I love that it's just like a chair, you need all the legs to sit on it. And that's economies sit on these legs. Cloud computing, REED's up and running. Capital markets, they're doing a good job there pedaling as fast as they can. Getting better and better. The training and support, this is critical because it's not just for those private, it's also the public sector as a cloud nation. All the ministries got to be cloud by 2020, that's next year. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> You guys got to get people trained. >> Yes. >> And people are excited by this. But trainees continue. Ahmed, what's your take on this because, you know, how much training do you give? When is there a crossover? Is there a ladder? Is this a gamification? How do you keep track of all this? >> We try to have little bit of, let's say hybrid training. So usually when AWS was in Bahrain and the cloud is there, we started with awareness. Not certify training, no exams. So that started and we looked at students. We looked at current IT employee who are not sure what is the AWS cloud for them, so there is little bit of fear. Whether it's government, private sector, start-ups. And with the support of course of the existing programs of Tamkeen, that made it very, very, very easy. So through our awareness program we got people excited and we had our team at ThinkSmart out at the universities, at the job places, doing road shows. So it took a while for people to see and then we started getting the demand. So people started getting the basic certification, the awareness for business people, and then jumped to more advanced training. So people who were, at the beginning, reluctant to go for even normal certification, now they say, "We want to be advanced." They need to know more. So that is excitement. But at the same time, AWS has all of this also online. So somebody does not to want to go to a classroom, he is too busy, especially like people like start-ups. You can go online. And that's where our students sometimes go online, come to the classroom. And one of the things that we have in turn is that you have challenge with time, the instructor is available. Give, put them an email, give them a call, you come and have, you don't have to attend with a badge. So that kept building up, now, for a number of Bahraini, We have, we are on a very high number, in terms of number of people we got trained and certified. We are proud of that, and we see the demand. So have now in September, and already we have exceeded our target. So we are looking forward for a very successful year. >> We were talking before we came on camera about, you know, education and training as food for your brain. >> Yes. >> Build up those technical muscles. We had his excellency on Minister of Youth, social programs. Talking about tech athletes. >> Yes. >> They got people running triathlons, where's the tech athletes? You got to get those muscles going. You guys are providing that kind of capability. This is the new competitive, you know, all joking aside, this is real. >> Yes. >> The technical talent is just like sports. >> Yes, that's correct. >> This is a mindset, not a freebie. Free education, sink or swim. This is the ethos in the culture. >> Correct, right. >> How is the young generation responding to this challenge? Opportunity? >> It's actually been interesting. You know, to look at, sort of, let's start with the gap between academia and industry. So we're narrowing in, and we're actually closing in that gap. So the new generation's actually very proactive, and not depending on academia, to provide what is required for the future of jobs, or to actually develop a business. So they are actually very active in seeking out, this information, and it's readily available today. Now, the examples I use from Tamkeen, these are very, sort of, formal platforms available for any Bahraini, but, as you know now it's very easy to find this information to actually up skill yourself and this is what we're seeing. You know, the younger generation's very proactively seeking this information. Online. Anywhere. >> I think you guys are smart, I think you're on it because one of the things I see, in the U.S., at least, is some old reliance, old dogma, or habits, or bad habits, around thinking of education as a linear thing. Digital is different. You can certainly take whatever path you want, and if you can augment, say, education and university or training, with a non linear progression. You got education, you got YouTube. You've got all kinds of things happening, around learning. >> Absolutely. >> The younger generation, they want that. >> Yes. >> They don't want the, sit there computer-based training, press one to continue. >> Correct >> That's over, those days are over. >> Yes, especially since we're pushing for a more entrepreneurship kind of mindset. Where we actually go and create work for yourself. So, people actually go and up skill themselves. So, they don't actually wait for this to come their way, they go and seek it. >> Okay, so we're back to the stool, we've got the legs of the stool, got the capabilities with the cloud. You've got the culture shift happening in the training and you've got the entrepreneurship. Now you've got to sit in the chair. It's got to not break. That's the entrepreneurship. So, you've got to measure to results. At the end of the day it's about the results. How are you guys looking at success? What does success look like as everyone starts to level up in the entrepreneurial game of tech athletics? >> So, the program that we developed and that's why we wanted to make it unique and not more of a classical training. We gave candidates, who join our program options. They can join and draw targets. A career, that I'm going to be a tech guy, somewhere, in the government or a private enterprise and there was also, the entrepreneurship track. No, you're going to be a developer. You're going to be a gaming developer, You're going to have your own media company, or whatever you want. So, we give them softer skill training, we give them entrepreneurship guidance. They have mentors that are available all the time. And at the beginning, when we started two years back, we were less reluctant to take this track, the entrepreneurship track. Now it has changed, the formula is changing. Actually, I need to note something, that female were more interested in the entrepreneurship because it gives them the opportunity to work from home, develop solutions, they don't need to go to an office. They have the freedom they need. So we see-- >> Diversity is increasing, with entrepreneurship. >> Yes. So it has completely changed the mindset, going two years back not 20 years back, and we're looking at even generations now graduating from university. And one of the biggest challenges was university because universities are not teaching less. So, it took us a while to give the awareness. As I said earlier today, university, even the university's president, and now it's also everybody speaks the same language. And I think this is the success of the leadership of Bahrain where they were able to build an ecosystem, Tamkeen, the private sector, the government. All are speaking the same language. So now the students, the Bahraini individuals start feeling this change. >> Well it's hard, you guys were talking about, we live this everyday. You, certainly, guys are succeeding. If I'm the government and I'm preaching agility and digital transformation. IF I'm not doing it, what kind of example is that? >> Very true. >> Exactly. >> This is really the culture. >> Yes. >> And I can appreciate that, I respect that, I think that's really the way to do it, you've got to lead from the top. I got to ask you guys about community, 'cause one of the things that we were talking about, and not really comparing to Silicone Valley, but looking at success, entrepreneurial formula's like Silicone Valley. Which can be replicated locally in its own Bahrain way. It's about people and community. How is the community developing? 'Cause you've got two years going back on, diversities increased, entrepreneurship changing. What's the community like? What's the community nurturing strategy? How do you guys see that culture here? Because this is going to be a community driven, data driven, result driven. >> Correct, yes, yes. >> World. >> So you know, we like to say that we have one of the most connected entrepreneurship ecosystems in the world. Now we can say that, because we're a small market but it's a small place, so everyone really knows what everyone else is doing. So, in terms of, you know, what the ecosystem is providing to the community, I think we have good joint efforts in actually building up the community and now we're seeing much more participation from the community, compared to, I would say five years ago, for example. Where we're actually seeing people pursuing entrepreneurship as a path, versus getting employed with a government, with a financial institution, for example. I think the best testimony to this was the creation of StartUp Bahrain. So this was a community initiative, initially spearheaded or initiated by the economic development board. And it is a collective of government organizations, SMB development, organizations, and start ups, who actually pushed this sort of entrepreneurship agenda, start up agenda forward. So we have a very successful case study with StartUp Bahrain. And we can actually show for it in terms of what's patient of startups and even maybe educational institutions like universities that are now jumping on board and actually contributing somehow, to the community. >> Yeah, it's been fun to watch. I think you can always do better, as we heard from the folks here on theCUBE all day today but everyone pretty much generally agrees it's going in the right direction. The question I have to ask you guys, is where is the work that needs to get done, still on the table? What's the key areas? >> I think one key element that I think is a must, based on what we have achieved now. When we talk about successful startups, successful entrepreneurship, we really need to connect, have a bridge to certain things like Silicone Valley because Bahrain market is small. Even the DCC market is small. So our startups should have a clearer access to larger market, to big companies. Now, they have access to AWS, INTEL, HP, whoever within that international market. That's the only way you can take your product from the labs or ideas to that international market. I think this is an area which requires good development and based on the successful, gradual success we have seen, I think this is now the most important step for for moving forward. >> Is to connect to these other hubs? >> Yes. >> Where there is a lot of collaboration. You guys know, companies have engineering teams, they have certain teams. And you guys will get a bulk of that. This is the plan for that. >> Yes. >> Exactly. >> I think that you would probably agree that maybe another gap is a private sector investment. So, there is a lot of money going around from the public sector to provide grants, subsidized financing, et cetera, we're looking to have more VCs established in our region to have more agent investment, more private sector, sort of, contribution, to the start of scene in Bahrain. I think going back to something important, you mentioned earlier, Ahmed, is the awareness. We still need to build more awareness around what kind of technologies will help companies startup scale. There might be the will there, but they're not completely aware of how to get there. >> What kind of hurdles would you look for in a partnership with a VC? Early stage, you thinking 10 million, 20 million dollar fund? Is there a number, is there like a filter? >> Very good question. I would say across the spectrum. Definitely early stage, although we are addressing that gap as public sector through grants and other means of providing capital. But I think we do require some private sector contribution, at that specific stage, at the early stage. >> We're certainly in Palo Alto, Silicone Valley, you need any cross connection... >> Definitely. >> You guys are CUBE Alumni now, VIPs, you're in the network now so feel free to knock on our door. We want to help as well. >> We appreciate that. >> Thanks so much for everything you guys are doing, I think this is going to be a historic moment looking back at this time in history, new region, revitalization. This is a theme, it's not just money making, that's one piece and I like that piece, but it's impacting citizens. >> Correct. >> This is a big part of the culture. >> Yes. >> Thanks for coming on, appreciate it. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> theCUBE coverage, we are here in Bahrain for AWS Summit. Stay tuned for more coverage, after this short break. (light music)