The ten laureates of the company’s 2016 “Seed for the Future Programme” have been sharpening skills at its headquarters in Guangdong Province, South China.
« Moving from classroom theory to practical field experience and learning especially from a technologically-advanced giant like Huawei gladdens our hearts and revives the spirit of creativity in us.” These are the words of Tchagna Kounanou Aurelle, team leader of some ten Cameroonian students undergoing ICT training at Huawei headquarters in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China. “We have already learned the evolution of the network from the 1st to 5th generations, the evolutions that brought about the change of network and we have practiced the putting in place of the 3 and 4 G networks,” the trainee told Cameroon Tribune.
They are laureates of Huawei Cameroon’s 2016 “Seed for the Future Programme.” A programme Huawei launched in 2008 to nurture professionals who are urgently needed to drive the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) industry.
Like the team leader, other learners noted with satisfaction that the quality of training being dished out to them here in Shenzhen opens their minds to see far and act better. “We are learning latest ICTs innovations that give users competitive advantages in telecommunications and enterprise networks, devices and cloud computing. This is a great leap from what we learn in school. We absolutely needed to move from the classroom theory to practice and notably innovations that have brought Huawei to the global limelight in ICTs development,” Ngye Antoinette, one of trainees from the University of Douala said.
For one week now, the students have been shuttling between classroom lectures and laboratory practices. “Mobile internet application and development trend,” “Network supporting of mobile internet Huawei product introduction,” “3G and 4G network voice service experience,” and “Intelligent network application and development trend,” are among the lessons being lectured to the trainees by fine experts Huawei has mobilised for the programme. The Cameroonians are studying alongside ten others each from South Africa and Sri Lanka. A rare opportunity for experience sharing and networking for mutual benefits!
In the spirit of the “Seed for the Future Programme,” the trainers held that “talent is crucial for the growth and development of any sector and the rapidly growing ICT industry has greatly changed business models and customer requirements. They observed that in many countries, there is a gap between the knowledge learned in the classroom and the skills that are necessary in the real world. “Therefore, the pool of skilled personnel should be provided opportunities to learn and apply the latest technologies. Through the seed for the future programme, Huawei helps resolve this problem,” they told Cameroon Tribune on Thursday.
According to Holy Ranaivozanany, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Huawei Technologies Company Ltd, the mismatch between talent supply and demand hinders social progress and creates social problems. Reason why the programme offers opportunity for hands-on training, witnessing and practising evolutions in ICTs. Meeting fine experts during the training, she added, can also inspire the trainees and ignite entrepreneurial spirits in them. She observed that through the networking that is created between the trainees and Huawei, the later receive updates on ICTs evolutions and can also be reached in case of a job opening.
The laureates are rounding off the technical training here in Shenzhen this Friday and will later fly to Beijing where they will learn Chinese culture and visit some historical sites notably the Great Wall and Forbidden City. They fly back to Cameroon on November 25.