MOU aims to grow local talent
Leading information and communications technology (ICT) company Huawei has signed an agreement with the University of Zambia (UNZA) that will pave the way for Zambia to build a pool of local telecommunications experts.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by Huawei Technologies Zambia Country Director Emilion Ming and UNZA Vice Chancellor Professor Luke Mumba during a ceremony at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lusaka this week.
The agreement will see Huawei and UNZA working together to develop the nation’s ICT talent in line with the government’s Smart Zambia 2030 strategy.
The two will focus on up-skilling and re-skilling programmes to build human capital to support ICT infrastructure and development and create world class graduates and professional ICT talent within Zambia.
The collaboration will build sustainable talent pipelines from institutions of higher learning, and will see Huawei set up a scholarship programme.
It will also improve the practical capability of lecturers by inviting some of them to participate in actual projects in progress.
To realign raw talent from the pool of fresh graduates to the telecommunications sector, Huawei will also provide an internship programme for high-performing students to ensure their studies match industry requirements.
In addition an ICT Practice Centre will be established at UNZA to include transmission, optical fibre, wireless access and solar power equipment. This will be used to cultivate ICT talent and help them improve their practical skills.
Chinese company Huawei is the world’s largest telecommunication and ICT solutions provider, serving 45 of the world’s top 50 telecom operators. Its products and solutions are benefiting one third of the world’s population.
With the joint effort of 170,000 employees in more than 170 countries in the world with over 60 of them in Africa, Huawei is ranked 129th of the Fortune 500 companies. In 2015, the company shipped over 100 million smart phones worldwide.
I like this form of sholarshiop because there seems to be some direct connection from scholarship to employment rather than just sending us to Russia or china for scholarship without future plans by the government of which when we come back and increase the employment level
Good MOU. This way Zambia will be able to track down all those who hide behind the anonymity of the internet. E.G. the Zambian Watchdog, the Zambian Eye and other such scoundrels.
Good news indeed. Huawei should donate computers at grassroots level too. They should start donating computers to schools thats where the talent start from. Donating scholarships at higher levels when the base is still not stable may spell doom. Start with the young ones first and promote their interest in ICTs.
You don’t start by roofing the house – where is the foundation? Some donations – awe!