China's ICT giant Huawei launches this year's training program in Zimbabwe

Wang Wei (L), the counselor at the Chinese embassy in Zimbabwe, and Huawei's Technologies Zimbabwe Managing Director Wei Qingtao (R), hand over a donation by Huawei Zimbabwe and the Chinese Embassy to Zimbabwean First Lady and Patron of the Seeds for the Future program Auxillia Mnangagwa for her charity organization, in Harara, Zimbabwe, Sept. 12, 2022. Telecommunications firm Huawei Zimbabwe on Monday launched the 2022 edition of the Seeds for the Future program under which 30 undergraduate university students will undergo a week-long, virtual training course to upgrade their information and communications technology (ICT) knowledge and skills. (Xinhua/Tafara Mugwara)

HARARE, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Telecommunications firm Huawei Zimbabwe on Monday launched the 2022 edition of the Seeds for the Future program under which 30 undergraduate university students will undergo a week-long, virtual training course to upgrade their information and communications technology (ICT) knowledge and skills.

Running for the eighth year in Zimbabwe now, the program has evolved over the years as it continues to nurture and bolster ICT skills for tertiary students and ICT professionals.

In addition to helping beneficiaries to close the gap between theory and practice and master required skills, the program also encourages countries across different regions to participate in the construction of digital communities.

"Today's event is all about nurturing youth leadership in ICT sector. In our 25 years of operation in Zimbabwe, this has always been our number one priority to promote local empowerment and capacity building, whilst we bring the best technology and solutions to assist Zimbabwe's glorious and ambitious national development master plan," Huawei's Technologies Zimbabwe Managing Director Wei Qingtao said at the launch.

The Seeds for the Future program is Huawei's biggest global flagship corporate social responsibility program which seeks to develop local ICT talent, enhance knowledge transfer and promote a greater understanding of the telecommunications sector among the youth in the countries where it operates.

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the program has been conducted virtually with 12,413 students from 137 countries and regions around the globe having benefited, Wei said.

He commended the strong partnership between his company and the Zimbabwean government under the program.

"Since the Seeds for the Future program was launched in 2015 in Zimbabwe, Huawei, the Ministries and local universities have worked together to provide the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge ICT technologies and Chinese culture for over 80 Zimbabwean undergraduate students. This is an invaluable addition to any CV when looking for a job after graduation," Wei said.

He said this year's program will run from Sept. 13-20 and will offer the students a rich experience involving technology classes, leadership classes, Chinese cultural experiences, an international corporate tour and communication with peers around the world.

The participants will also get training and exposure to leadership, industry trends and the latest ICT technologies, such as 5G, LTE and cloud computing through comprehensive online and live lectures from Huawei experts and external guest lecturers.

In addition to the Seeds for the Future program, Huawei also supports Zimbabwe's digital transformation through talent search programs like the Huawei ICT Academy and Huawei ICT Competition.

The 2021-2022 ICT competition awards and closing ceremonies were held in Shenzhen, China, on June 25, 2022, and attracted 150,000 students from more than 2,000 universities and colleges in 85 countries all over the world.

The University of Zimbabwe Huawei ICT Academy team composed of Oscar Bosha, Evelyn Chipangura and Ryan Fadzai Mboma, won the third prize in the Competition.

In recognition of the impressive work that some of the partner universities are doing, Huawei Zimbabwe on Monday donated ICT training equipment to the University of Zimbabwe and TelOne Centre for Learning.

This year's launch also included an ICT job fair that was designed to promote local Huawei-certified ICT Talent to Huawei partners and offer them the opportunity to advance their careers and further enrich Huawei's talent ecosystem by cultivating and harnessing the value of ICT talent.

At the job fair, students were given the opportunity to do onsite interviews with Huawei partners, giving them valuable experience as they enter the job market.

Several representatives from Huawei partner organizations participated in the fair.

Speaking at the same event, Wang Wei, the counselor at the Chinese embassy in Zimbabwe and wife of the Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun, said it was pleasing to see growing ties between Zimbabwe and China in the ICT sector.

"Last year, I was here to witness 30 ICT students from Zimbabwe's top universities getting opportunities to study in China," said Wang. "I am pleased to see a growing number of Zimbabwean engineers being availed the opportunity to approach the state-of-the-art technology and experience a different culture in China, and wish the Seeds for the Future program could further advance the high-tech sector of Zimbabwe."

Wang handed over a donation by Huawei Zimbabwe and the Chinese Embassy to Zimbabwean First Lady and Patron of the Seeds for the Future program Auxillia Mnangagwa for her charity organization, Angel of Hope Foundation.

The First Lady commended Huawei for its support in further training ICT students, and the support to her charity organization.

Other high-profile speakers at the event included Zimbabwe's ICT Minister Jenfan Muswere and Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Amon Murwira, who both commended the Huawei program and urged the students to maximize the opportunity so as to help Zimbabwe build a digital economy and help it achieve its vision to become a middle-income economy by 2030.