HUAWEI COMMITTED TO BUILD ICT TALENT ECOSYSTEM IN SRI LANKA – CEO LIANG YI
In this technological era nations such as Sri Lanka over the years have been advancing with technology adoption, but technology is continually evolving perhaps faster than biological evolution and there is ample of space available to bridge the skills gap of Sri Lanka’s deserving youth to be industry and technology ready.
However, the lack of digital skills is one of the biggest challenges faced by many countries. join than dedly with the governments, universities and industrial partners, as a leading global ICT solutions provider - Huawei is one such ICT corporation that is working towards “Cultivating a Talent Ecosystem for Inclusive Digital Prosperity”, to explore collaborative initiatives for closing the digital skill gaps and facilitating the digital transformation in the postpandemic economic recovery in countries they operate.
Below are excerpts from an Interview with Huawei Sri Lanka CEO Liang Yi on Huawei’s efforts and ICT talent development initiatives that are expected to bridge the skills gap in Sri Lanka supporting the country to be positioned as a top ICT and digital talent hub.
Digital Economy is the key to drive for next phase of GDP growth, in this context how do you see the potential of Sri Lanka?
According to recent research done by leading global advisory firm Oxford Economics and Huawei, the digital economy’s growth rate is 2.5 times that of the overall GDP growth of a current economy. Investments in the right direction are crucial for any country, and intends to realize, sustain or even exceed through digital investments in economic growth.
In the past three decades, for every US$ 1 investment the average return to GDP is 6.7 times higher for digital investments than for non-digital investments. Economists’ forecasts a significant rebound in Sri Lanka’s US$ 84 billion economy , and ADB projects economic growth to rise to 4.1 percent in 2021 and moderate to 3.6 percent in 2022.
Domestic ICT sector serves a number of Industry verticals with many companies with a highly skilled talent pool and the costeffective operational ability makes Sri Lanka’s as a ICT Destination of Choice.
Current ICT talent pool in Sri Lanka is said to be growing by 20 percent year-on-year, and they are highly adaptable, innovative, and conversant in English - the world’s predominant business language.
Sri Lanka foresees the ICT/BPM industry achieving US$ 5 billion in exports by 2022, creating 200,000 direct jobs and launching 1,000 start-ups according to reports. Therefore, if Sri Lanka to reach full potential and reap the benefits of ICT industry it is important to accelerate Digital innovation and take steps to continuous development of digital talent. In turn this will attract more Foreign Direct Investments to realize the full potential of a Digital Economy.
We believe that local ICT talents is one of key elements to drive digital economy, who are globally recognized and who possess internationally acclaimed qualifications required by the local and international ICT industry. Over the years, we are focusing on Sri Lankan ICT talents cultivation by practicing initiatives such as Seeds for the Future, joint innovation labs in top universities, professional ICT training to our local partners, etc, to help Sri Lanka stay in advance in ICT domain in both Regional and International.
This year, we are extending our ICT talents cultivation initiative to a larger scale, named ICT Academy, in which we will focus in: Public awareness, ICT Vocational Training and Joint innovation with Sri Lanka universities, to enhance knowledge transfer, promote a greater understanding and interest in the telecommunications sector, and participation in the digital community.
What are your future aspirations in terms of talent cultivation in Sri Lanka? And among the above talent cultivation initiatives which are been already introduced to Sri Lanka?
Huawei aims to provide support and bring in talent cultivation to bridge the skills gap in Sri Lanka through three key focused areas that includes Digital Inclusiveness to Public, Skilling the Unskilled and Smart technocrats.
Huawei has been helping Sri Lanka in the development and digital transformation working with ICT industry for over two decades already. Our talent cultivation initiatives that are already introduced to Sri Lanka includes Huawei Seeds for the Future and Partner & Industry Stakeholder Training, University joint innovation laboratory and ICT Academy.
We will soon launch ICT Academy initiative with Ministry of Education, National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) and intend to provide vocational and technical training for youth, to meet the skilled manpower requirement in the ICT industry. We also envisages to implement a fullyfledged Digital Education system in Sri Lanka with a Unified Frame Work for all government education institutes including Schools, Universities, Vocational Training Institutes and Teacher Training Institutes.
How is the progress of ‘Huawei Seeds for the Future’ over the last 5 years in Sri Lanka?
‘Seeds of the Future’ ishuawei’s global CSR flagship programme, through cooperation with local government, higher education institutions and local universities, we select outstanding university students and young government ICT workers, and provides valuable opportunities for studying and working experience at Huawei headquarters, experience global business operations and Chinese culture in a cross-cultural working environment.
The programme further delivers insight on ICT industries and Huawei’s latest technologies. Since inception and launch in 2016, in Sri Lanka, 56 university students benefited through the project. From 2020 increased the Seeds recipients’ number in Sri Lanka to 20 potential students representing from 10 universities. So this year too we held the programme benefiting top ICT talent from the universities in Sri Lanka.
What is the future purpose of setting up a joint innovation lab, also could you elaborate more on the programmes that will be offered at the ICT Academy & Vocational Training?
Last year, Huawei in cooperation with University of Moratuwa, signed and MOU to establish a joint innovation laboratory and ICT Academy.
As we expand further with this joint innovation lab it will enable to produce over 250 students in ICT technologies annually and also to conduct Industrial Research programmes using the Platforms. We further expect to conduct competitions among university students and enhance the Lab with more cutting-edge technologies such as 5G Industrial User Cases on Ports, Agriculture, Manufacturing industries, etc.
Through setting up of ICT Academy, Huawei further foresees to bridge the gap between talent demand of ICT enterprises. This will be our continuous substantial ICT talent cultivation initiative to develop over 10,000 ICT talent over the next 5 years in Sri Lanka in parallel with our Asia Pacific regional initiative to develop ICT talent in the region.
We further expect to cultivate and provide awareness on ICT & Digital technology to over 1,500 public every year through this including Master trainers experienced in the ICT industry who will be the trainers for the future. This will further support the sustainable development of the ICT industry of Sri Lanka in future.