Lucky 10 picked for ‘Seeds for the Future’
PUTRAJAYA: Ten lucky Malaysian university students pursuing their degrees in either electronic engineering or computer science have been chosen to participate in Huawei Technologies’ much sought-after “Seeds for the Future” programme.
They will be spending two weeks in Beijing and Shenzhen – where Huawei’s headquarters is located – to witness the inner workings of the multinational ICT giant, said Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik.
“During their time in China, students will learn about trends in cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), 5G technologies, and participate in several technology workshops and networking events.
“They will also take Chinese language and calligraphy classes, and explore the city,” he said during the programme’s flag-off ceremony at the ministry here yesterday.
Dr Maszlee called on all higher education institutions to work harder to develop employable and competent graduates who can thrive in a “borderless world” and are prepared for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
He also advised the 10 finalists to appreciate the great opportunity given to them.
“Immerse yourself in the latest technology and learn to thrive in a global environment. But you must also share the knowledge you’ve gained with your peers,” he added.
The “Seeds for the Future” programme is entering its fifth year in Malaysia, said Huawei Malaysia CEO Baker Zhou.
He said the programme – fully sponsored by the tech giant – exposes students to Huawei’s dynamic global business environment, Chinese culture, as well as first-hand working experience in its headquarters.
“Huawei has always been a strong supporter in developing local ICT industry through education, ICT knowledge transfers and industry-academia collaborations.
“Hopefully, this programme will boost students’ employability skills and enable them to be prepared for the future,” he said, adding Huawei would continuously carry out the programme to fulfil its commitment of developing local talent.
Zhou said candidates – who will become ambassadors of the programme – are likely to receive job offers at Huawei.
Describing the 10 finalists as “best of the best”, Zhou revealed they were selected from a pool of more than 1,100 applicants.
The 10 finalists will be leaving for China on Oct 12 and are scheduled to return on Oct 27.