NEW: ICT professionals key to development

Online Reporter

DEVELOPMENT of a large pool of Information Communication Technology (ICT) professionals is central to the country’s quest to grow the economy in the next nine years through 2030.

Speaking during the launch of the Zimbabwe Seeds for the Future 2021 programme on Wednesday, Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said Government has prioritised the training of ICT experts.

The Seeds for the Future programme is a global flagship corporate social responsibility programme led by Huawei Technologies which aims to cultivate local ICT professionals by offering undergraduate ICT students training on ICT technologies and practical experience.

“One of the key challenges we are facing in growing the ICT sector is the lack of a large pool of skilled ICT professionals,” he said.

“It is therefore pleasing to note that Huawei Technologies Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd has made supporting skills development one of their key priorities for building a better connected Zimbabwe.

“The Seeds for the Future programme is in line with our Ministry’s digitization strategy and our mission to provide an efficient national information communication technology delivery framework and maintain national cybersecurity.

“The programme helps cultivate and pool together ICT professionals and students, thus boosting ICT industry growth, driving the development of different sectors and contributing to lower unemployment rates over the long term.”