The need to strengthen government support for private-sector-led talent development initiatives

By Shunli Wang, Vice President, Huawei Middle East and Central Asia

With its youthful population, ubiquitous high-speed connectivity and numerous higher education opportunities, Middle East nations have the prerequisites to stake a leadership position in the emergent global digital economy. Young people (aged under 30) constitute more than half (55%) of the population across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), compared with 36% of the population across OECD countries. Additionally, the GSMA estimates that 5G will account for 17% of all connections by 2025 in MENA, rising to 49% of total connections in the hyper-connected GCC. These fundamentals lay the foundation for accelerated digitization across the region.

That said, there’s a need to ensure that Arab youth have the fundamental skills necessary to contribute to their nation’s socioeconomic well-being. This is because the digital era now upon us requires a new approach to skills development. While local universities have prioritized ICT-based curriculums, there’s often a mismatch between classroom output and real-world work requirements. Partnering with technology companies and industry placement can help bridge this gap.

Huawei has a long and proud history of collaboration with governments, academia and industry to enrich the region’s IC talent ecosystem. CSR initiatives such as Seeds for the Future, the annual Huawei ICT Competition, Huawei ICT Academy, joint innovation centres, labs and other CSR initiatives empower thousands of Arab youth annually to supercharge their ICT careers. In the Middle East, Huawei has set up 186 Huawei ICT Academies, and more than 4,000 students have participated in the flagship program Seeds for the Future, while over 57,000 people have obtained Huawei certification. We also have trained over 150,000 ICT talents for the Middle East and are committed to achieving more in collaboration with our partners.

While private sector organizations like ours are ready to augment public efforts, the government should also support private organizations for even greater success. The most recent edition of the Huawei ICT competition demonstrates why government support for private sector players leading training and talent cultivation programs is crucial towards socio-economic development driven by ICT.

The Oman government, represented by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and Information Technology, Ministry of Labor, and other related bodies, provided vital support for the competition and, more broadly, Huawei’s efforts to nurture local ICT talent. The government announced that it will support the Huawei certification program for the next five years, which will help accelerate achieving Oman’s 2040 vision by developing the next generation of ICT talent. The Ministry also announced an incentives program for Omani students who have received the Huawei Certified ICT Associate (HCIA) or Huawei Certified ICT Expert (HCIE) certification. In addition, Omantel will provide students with $450,000 in financial incentives for five years. We, at Huawei, are truly honoured to receive this excellent support from the Omani government bodies and Omantel that enable us to collectively contribute to the development of the talent ecosystem. They have set an exceptional example for successful public-private partnerships, which we hope to extend to other Middle Eastern markets.

There’s a need to ensure that this training is based on industry standards and best practices to ensure learners have transferable skills that can adapt as technology advances and trends shift. Authenticated certification from leading global tech companies offers measurable success and ensures local organizations can compete globally. For instance, the Huawei Career Certification mentioned above exemplifies a well-considered talent development and certification system, consistently cultivating ICT professionals in the digital era and building a healthy ICT talent ecosystem through its three levels of certification: Associate Professional and Expert.

In the next decade, the phrase “digital economy” will become redundant as digital permeates all sectors of the economy. With such deep connections between digital and the economy, cultivating local talent is the only dependable model for success; global ICT companies can provide the required technologies, but only local resources can implement these solutions on the ground.

Ultimately, governments’ efforts to bridge the digital divide and support all partners who can contribute to youth talent development are essential to keep the momentum in achieving new wins in the digitalization race. Youth empowerment through open partnerships with all stakeholders is the one true path to building a knowledge-based sustainable digital future for Middle East countries.