- 60 outstanding students went through the virtual program interacting with experts from across the globe on matters technology, leadership, business and others.
- The Huawei Seeds for the Future program recognizes the skill gap that exists in the technology sector today across the globe and seeks to bridge the talent gap through training.
Image: HUAWEI
COVID-19 pandemic changed the way companies in all sectors and regions do business.
Companies have accelerated the digitization of their customer and supply-chain interactions and of their internal operations by three to four years.
This means that there is a growing need for IT specialists in the different field and industries.
The Kenyan ICT sector has been vibrant in recent years. The enabling legal and policy environment has seen many innovations.
Rapid advancements in technologies such as mobile broadband, Wi-Fi connectivity and web-based applications have further enhanced demand for broadband in the country.
The rollout of higher capacity mobile broadband networks has greatly boosted the uptake of broadband services in the country, with about 99% of broadband subscriptions served through mobile broadband services.
Kenya’s economic and social blueprint, Vision 2030, aims to make Kenya a globally competitive and prosperous nation with a high quality of life by 2030 (Kenya, 2007).
The vision comprises three key pillars – economic, social, and political – and envisages a country firmly interconnected through a network of roads, railways, ports, airports, water and sanitation facilities, and telecommunications.
It is the fast advancement that prompted Huawei to introduce the Seeds for the future program that seeks to develop local ICT talent, enhance knowledge sharing, and improve people's understanding and interest in the ICT industry.
Globally, it encourages countries across different regions to participate in the construction of digital communities.
Since 2014, Huawei and ICT Authority have jointly worked together to build a stronger ICT ecosystem through promoting ICT skills and capacity through the program in Kenya thus helping ICT professionals fill the gaps between theory and practice and master the required skills.
Image: HUAWEI
Just recently, sixty Kenyan university students from across the country on Wednesday, September 1 successfully concluded the 2021 Virtual Seeds for the Future Program.
Paul Omondi Otieno, a 4th year student at Kenyatta University majoring in Telecommunications and Information Technology is not shy to explain to us the vast knowledge he has acquired from the program.
He joined the Seeds for the Future program because he was impressed by Huawei’s work in Kenya and their footprint on matters telecommunication .
“I have seen the outdoor unit, different ways you can implement a 4G, 3G and 2G network, different devices found within a communication network and how exactly it works. And also how to implement a fiber and microwave communication,” Otieno says.
The Huawei Seeds for the Future program recognizes the skill gap that exists in the technology sector today across the globe and seeks to bridge the talent gap through training.
The program’s success is partly due to close collaboration with students, academia, ICT Authority under the Ministry of ICT, and various other stakeholders, and helps build a stronger and more sustainable ICT and talent ecosystem.
“As an industry leader, we are committed to promoting the development of ICT in the countries we operate in. We continuously seek to close the gap between knowledge learned in the school and industry skills thereby enhancing knowledge transfer and building ICT capacity,” said Ms Fiona Pan, Deputy CEO Huawei Kenya.
Anne Mweru a 4th year student at Zetech University pursuing Bachelor of Science in Information Technology says Huawei has been her dream organization to work for and learn their various technologies.
“When I saw the Seeds For the Future opportunity, I applied to try and integrate theory learned in class with the practical in the outside world. I recommend the program to students in the same field to apply, meet new people, learn and network,” Mweru says.
Image: HUAWEI
Over last 7 years the program has taken over 120 interns through training at the Huawei offices in Nairobi and out of these 55 have traveled to China for further two-week training on Chinese culture and latest technological innovations at the Huawei headquarters.
Last year, 60 outstanding students went through the virtual program interacting with experts from across the globe on matters technology, leadership, business and others.
Judy Achieng a 5th year student at the Multimedia University of Kenya pursuing Electrical and Telecommunication Engineering reapplied for the program after missing out on an opportunity last year.
She hopes to relate theory learned in class with the practical in the field. “I looked at the base station system, learned about Huawei services and access systems. This is the place to be,”Achieng’ said after visiting the Huawei Training Centre.
“It is for this reason that we as Huawei partnered with over 51 institutions of higher learning to become Huawei ICT Academies thereby enabling lecturers to offer courses on various emerging technologies including Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Internet of Things among others,” said Ms Fiona Pan.
“The program as part of Huawei’s flagship global CSR aims to develop local ICT talent, improve knowledge sharing, and enhance understanding and interest in the ICT industry and thus enable growth within the sector,” she added.