Huawei South Africa launches ICT Competition in Woodmead
Huawei South Africa in Woodmead launched this year’s addition of the ICT Competition to help bridge the ICT skills gap in South Africa and around the world.
Huawei cautions that South Africa must urgently address its Information and Community Technology (ICT) skills gap if it hopes to have a positive impact on the economy.
The multinational technology company released its Whitepaper alongside the launch of the 2022–2023 ICT Competition on August 17 at its campus in Woodmead.
According to the Whitepaper, complied in partnership with EY, there are an estimated 20 000 ICT companies in South Africa which contribute 8% of the country’s GDP.
Chief economist and sub-Saharan African representative for EY’s Geostrategic Business Group Angelika Goliger added that while the sector achieved consistent growth despite the country’s economic challenges unless the skills gaps are addressed, that growth is in jeopardy of being hindered.
To help address this gap in South Africa and across the globe, Huawei has once again partnered with universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training (Tvet) colleges to host the ICT competition.
According to Huawei deputy CEO Kian Chen, this is one of the largest ICT events in the world which thousands of entrants from around the globe. “It is aimed at driving the development of ICT talent for industry growth and digital transformation and is a crucial element of Huawei’s talent ecosystem, which seeks to address the skills shortage in the sector.”
Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Buti Manamela added that partnerships such as these will be key in addressing the ICT skills shortage because the government cannot do it alone.
“We need increased partnerships and collaboration with the private sector, not only in terms of resources but also policy interventions that will go a long way in helping to address youth unemployment and contribute to the development of scarce and future skills.”
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https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/202921/gauteng-government-increasingly-investing-in-ict/
