At a tech facility in Seef, young Bahrainis spend their evenings analysing code, optimising algorithms, and engineering software. Despite looking like a tech startup, the space is a classroom – operating without traditional teachers or lectures.
Launched in 2023 with Tamkeen and the EDB, Reboot Coding Institute (Reboot01) is the GCC’s first 01Edu coding institute. It offers a tuition-free, two-year Higher National Diploma accredited by the Labour Ministry and listed on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
Instead of professors or lectures, the institute uses a peer-to-peer, gamified model where students learn software engineering by tackling real-world technical projects together.
Speaking to the GDN during an exclusive interview, Yanal Jallad, managing director of Reboot Coding Institute, explained how the academy represents a vital evolution in the kingdom’s economic narrative.
“Bahrain has spent years building the regulatory environment, investment framework, and business climate to attract tech companies to Bahrain,” Mr Jallad added. “Phase two is answering a critical question: Do we have enough engineers and technical talent to support the companies we are attracting? Talent is economic infrastructure.”
Mr Jallad
According to Mr Jallad, Reboot01 serves as tangible evidence that the talent side of the ecosystem is catching up. In today’s global market, software engineers, AI specialists, and cybersecurity professionals function as essential economic infrastructure – just as crucial as regulatory frameworks, capital, and digital connectivity.
“This is really important because if Bahrain can earn a reputation for top-tier tech talent, which we are starting to do, it creates a positive cycle,” Mr Jallad explained. “It’s not about graduating 10 people; we hope to graduate over 200 every year. The reputation we build will help attract more companies to Bahrain, which will then help grow that reputation further.”
This shift underpins an ambitious narrative transition for the kingdom: moving from having international firms simply based in Bahrain to having their core platforms and technologies genuinely built in Bahrain by local developers.
“This is the one area that cannot simply be built overnight,” Mr Jallad emphasised. “This is the competitive advantage Bahrain really has.”
The academy’s success also offers concrete proof that alternative pathways into technology can succeed at scale. With approximately 600 students enrolled so far, its official BQA and NQF recognition validates a practical, project-based learning model alongside traditional university routes. Its growing number of graduates being hired by companies across Bahrain further demonstrates how this skills-based approach can prepare talent for the workplace.
Admission requires no prior coding background; candidates instead complete an online logic assessment before undergoing an intensive three-week selection pool where applicants tackle complex technical quests collaboratively to relearn how to learn independently.
“In that three-week selection pool, candidates learn our way of learning, which is essentially learning how to learn again to future-proof their skills,” Mr Jallad said. “We have a team of tech mentors available to support them, but we never give answers. What they find is that whether they have zero background or a technical background, this hands-on, practical approach is the best way to learn.”
University software engineering students who complete this selection process routinely report acquiring problem-solving concepts equivalent to a year and a half of traditional academic coursework.
A major driver of this success is the institute’s network of more than 30 corporate partners, connecting technical training directly with industry needs. Partners and employers include Al Salam Bank, JPMorgan, NBB, Citi, BBK, AFS, Benefit, Tanami, Flooss, Beyon Cyber and Gulf Air, helping ensure students build skills that are relevant to the workplace. This network creates a direct bridge between the talent and the companies’ needs.
During the first 18 months, students master full-stack software development before choosing a specialised track for their final six months. Available specialisations include Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, Cloud DevOps, Mobile Development using Flutter or React Native, Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies, Game Development in Unreal Engine 5, and Enterprise Java Systems tailored for the banking sector.
In their first year, students build RAG and LLM projects using commercial tools. However, in the AI branch students go deeper, learning to build machine learning models, algorithms, neural networks, and deep vision systems from scratch. This prepares them to graduate as both Machine Learning engineers and full-stack developers.
“Our students are building real-world applications,” Mr Jallad said. “In the AI specialisation, they build machine learning models for credit scoring, documentation categorisation, and models that can outperform time-series financial benchmarks like the S&P500. When they go into these companies, employers realise our graduates already know how to build these solutions hands-on.”
This demand-driven model has yielded strong outcomes, with Mr Jallad confirming a job placement rate exceeding 95 per cent for graduates. High-profile employers including JPMorgan, Citi, Al Salam Bank, Bapco Energies, Arab Financial Services (AFS), KPMG AI Department, and Tanami have integrated Reboot01 alumni into their core technical teams.
Fresh graduates routinely earn starting salaries ranging from BD800 to over BD1,000 per month, while non-technical professionals, such as former government school teachers, industrial gas operators and electricians, have successfully transitioned into senior engineering roles.
“We always say it’s never too late to enter tech,” Mr Jallad said. “Reboot gives people an opportunity where they had the drive and ability, but couldn’t afford to stop working and do a four-year degree. They can work while doing Reboot, and when the time is right, they make the switch into high-value tech careers.”
Looking ahead, the rapid acceleration of AI adoption creates renewed urgency to scale these capabilities. As artificial intelligence transforms global business models, countries that cultivate talent capable of building, deploying, and working alongside emerging technologies will secure a distinct competitive edge. To address this, Reboot01 is rolling out an updated curriculum designed to train AI-Native engineers.
“We’re going to be producing AI-Native engineers,” Mr Jallad revealed. “We will be one of the very few institutes globally, and definitely the first in the region, doing this. It’s about keeping up with where the industry is heading and ensuring our talent stays ahead of the curve.”
As this talent pipeline matures, Bahrain’s ambitions extend well beyond domestic demand. With local developers already building tools for multinational institutions, the kingdom is positioning itself to become a regional exporter of tech talent, supplying Bahraini engineers to power GCC enterprises, regional platforms, and international technology companies operating throughout the region.
avinash@gdnmedia.bh
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