Huawei Kenya have launched a graduate recruitment program. The company has partnered with several business partners to create over 30 job and internship opportunities.
The positions were unveiled during the Huawei ICT Job Fair held virtually on May 12th. The event was graced by Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Joe Mucheru, Chief Administrative Secretary Maureen Mbaka, and Director for University Education and Research Darius Mogaka, amongst other industry stakeholders.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has highlighted the importance and urgency to create the necessary skills amongst the workforce. As the world evolves into a digital economy, our education systems need to also evolve, in providing digital skills. In addition to skills, the education system should also take advantage of digital technologies to teach, and integrate ICT into curricula covering all sectors of society.
Huawei’s partners that attended the event included MFI Technologies, China Telecom, and Eastra Solutions. These partners all sought to hire promising graduates who have been trained by Huawei’s academic partners and achieved Huawei’s globally recognized certifications.
During his speech, Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru lauded Huawei for its collaborative effort forged with the government to build Kenya’s ICT infrastructure. “With programs such as the Huawei ICT Academy and Huawei Management Trainee Program, the ICT local talent and broader ecosystem will be boosted. Kenya’s rich human resource is an asset that sets it ahead regionally and moves us closer to becoming a knowledge-based economy,” he added.
The Digital Economy Blueprint was launched by the government in 2019 to grow Kenya’s and the continents economic growth. The Digital Economy Strategy is expected to be launched this year. Both documents highlight the need to train a range of Kenyans on digital skills.
Also speaking at the event, Mr. Johnson Kinyua, Dean of Students Office of Career Services at the University of Nairobi said, “It has played a huge role in recruiting students to sign up for Huawei certifications, therefore, enhancing their competency and skills; this ensures that the students remain relevant and marketable.” He also commended Huawei for training over 5,000 university students during the pandemic and its collaboration with the Ajira program.
Through the Huawei ICT Academy, the organization has partnered with over 40 universities to provide students with training and certifications on new technologies. These include 5G mobile networks, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Cloud, hence improving their skillset and also their employability.
Having operated in Kenya for over 20 years, Huawei has trained and employed thousands of employees directly and indirectly, and continues to invest in training and hiring at a large scale to be successful for the next 20 years in Kenya.