by SAVIOUS KWINIKA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – HUAWEI and the South African Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) have restated a commitment to prepare information and communication technology (ICT) students for the future of work.
Now in its sixth year, the course aims to inspire local talent, enhance knowledge sharing, promote a greater understanding of and interest in the ICT sector, and encourage participation in the digital community.
In addition to courses on latest technologies of 5G, Cloud, artificial intelligence (AI) and internet of things (IoT), students are also introduced to Chinese culture and language, which aims to foster a cross cultural understanding.
In this year’s curriculum, the focus is on getting students to think about how to use technology to address social and environmental issues under Huawei’s Tech4Good programme.
“Since the Seeds for the Future initiative was started in 2016, it remains important for our path of bridging the digital divide,” said Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies.
“As we open the Seeds for the Future programme, the technologies we deemed technologies for the future are here with us in full force,” she said.
Ntshavheni noted that as global leaders in new technologies, Huawei’s contribution was valuable, not only for the individual students,
but for the South African economy.
“I hope the students that are the beneficiaries of this initiative appreciate the value of this programme and act like true seeds and will multiply themselves for the benefit of our country, the SADC region, and our continent,” Ntshavheni said.
Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies
Spawn Fan, CEO, Huawei South Africa, said the technologies driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) could be difficult to understand.
“As long as we keep learning, this will not be a problem,” he said.
“We want to encourage and develop a sense of social responsibility and foster innovation in our young people. We want them to think about how to use technology to solve complex global issues, like climate change for example,” Fan said.
Chen Xiaodong, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, said China had used technology to enable an almost fully digital society, driving a new stream of economic growth.
“The world is witnessing a new generation of digital technology which is bringing about fresh change in society and industry,” the envoy said.
During COVID-19 the digital economy had become an important driving force in the global economic recovery, he added.
According to the World Bank, the digital economy accounts for 15 percent of world gross domestic product (GDP).
China’s digital sector accounts for 39 percent of its GDP.
– CAJ News