Another ten information and communication technology (ICT) university students from various institutions have headed to Huawei, in China, on a study trip aimed at building up an ICT talent ecosystem.

The yearly study opportunity in China, under the Seeds for the Future programme – a joint Huawei South Africa and Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) initiative – is now in its third year.

Since the launch of the South African edition of the programme in 2016, Huawei, the DTPS and local universities have worked together to select ten top-performing ICT students for the study trip each year in an effort to develop local ICT talent, enhance knowledge transfer, promote a greater understanding of and interest in the telecommunications sector and improve and encourage regional building and participation in the digital community.

The programme offers undergraduate students a two-week training and cultural experience in China, where the students will stay in Beijing, undertake basic lessons in Mandarin and calligraphy and visit world-renowned historical sites in Beijing and Shenzhen during the first week.

The students will gain first-hand learning opportunities and hands-on practice as Week 2 sees the participants travelling to Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen, where they will tour the Huawei Technology Exhibition Centre, work in Huawei’s most advanced labs and interact with experts, while gaining exposure to the latest ICT technologies, such as fifth-generation, long-term evolution and cloud computing.

Supporting skills development is one of Huawei’s key priorities for building a better connected South Africa, says Huawei CEO Spawn Fan, who points out that the programme is aimed at popularising communications technologies and knowledge, developing ICT professionals and increasing education opportunities.

“Connectivity is the key driver for inclusive, sustainable social and economic development, and one of the key challenges facing the ICT sector in South Africa, and many other countries, is the need for a large pool of skilled ICT professionals.”

Fan adds that it is the duty of all ICT players from government to the private sector to ensure that all South Africans benefit from the opportunities that connectivity brings.

South Africa is preparing for this future in partnership with business, organised labour and other social partners, says Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Dr Siyabonga Cwele.

“The Fourth Industrial Revolution will change how we interact and how people access government services. This means that we need to align our education with this reality. We need to consider introducing training in coding at an early age in schooling,” he adds.

The rapidly growing ICT industry has significantly changed business models and customer needs. As a result, the ICT industry ecosystem urgently requires a large number of technical staff who can address the challenges posed by this transformation.

In many countries, there is a knowledge gap between what is learned in the classroom and the skills that are necessary in the real world.