Huawei plans to train 1,000 young Kenyan technicians yearly in a plan that aims to boost digital skills. The target groups include university students, telecommunications operators, government ICT officers, network contractors and industry partners on the latest global trends in the application of modern tech across all sectors.
“We plan to train around 1,000 young technicians yearly at our centre located in Nairobi,” said Mr John Ngala, a senior wireless engineer, Huawei Technologies Kenya.
“We will offer a range of courses in ICT industry which includes wireless, microwave as well site energy hardware.”
The training will be conducted at Huawei's East Africa Regional Training Center located at the African Advanced Level Telecommunications Institute (AFRALTI) Waiyaki Way, Nairobi. It offers courses such as microwave hardware installation and network operations.
Training at the facility that has been in operation since July last year costs about $350 (Sh40,827) for a five-day course.
He said the training centre will onboard associate, professional and expert learners with emphasis given to practical learning.
Learners must have some background in ICT-related industry. Learners doing energy and network maintenance will also be considered for the training.
“The aim is to train skilled but uncertified young technicians with a view to unlocking the ICT skill gap,” he said.
The ICT sector has been one of the fastest-growing for several years but during the pandemic, it has witnessed tremendous growth as lockdowns necessitated the adoption of frontier technologies.
According to the Communications Authority of Kenya, there has been rapid growth in Kenya's digital economy, thanks to widespread 4G coverage that now covers 96.3 per cent of the population.
The network of fiber optic internet being built to homes has also increased more than 15 per cent year-on-year, with Safaricom partnering with Huawei and Nokia to lay more 5G base stations across the country.
