Africa-Press – Mauritius. Some 350 participants who have completed the training programme dispensed by Polytechnics Mauritius Ltd (PML) and Huawei in the fields of ICT, advanced AI, cloud computing and soft skills, under the Digital Industries Academy (DIA), received their certificates, today, at the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Tower, Ebène.
The Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Dr Renganaden Padayachy; the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PML, Mr Yamal Matabudul; the CEO of the Economic Development Board (EDB), Mr Ken Poonoosamy, and other eminent personalities were also present.
In his keynote address, Dr Padayachy recalled that, as announced in the budget speech 2021-2022, the EDB was entrusted with the responsibility of setting up a DIA to address the problem of shortage of skills in the ICT sector and create a national pool of talent.
The Academy, he stated, is currently operating as an industry training platform with strong collaboration from the ICT Industry Associations and supports in bridging the gap between school leavers/ fresh graduates and industry requirements.
He added that a steering committee comprising of representatives of EDB; the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development; the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation; the Human Resources Development Council; the Outsourcing and Telecommunication Association of Mauritius; the Mauritius Information Technology Industry Association; and the ICT Commission of French Chamber of Commerce was set up in 2021 for the operationalisation of the Academy.
Dr Padayachy highlighted that several actions have been undertaken by EDB since the creation of DIA, namely registration of training institutions and a request for proposals for soft skills. Polytechnics Mauritius Ltd was selected for the provision of Soft Skills courses following an evaluation exercise, he added.
According to him, the digital and new technologies sector is a very promising and fast-growing sector and Government is moving towards becoming an information-based economy and an Information Society.
He underscored that new technologies such as Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, augmented and virtual reality, blockchain, 5G networks, quantum computing, biotechnology, robots, the cloud, and cybersecurity are just some of the most significant technological breakthroughs that will alter our world in the next years.
The ICT sector, he remarked, is the driving force of the economy, with some 30,000 people employed by some 900 companies in Mauritius. The emergence of these technologies, he observed, will enhance the demand for qualified professionals in the sector.
The Finance Minister lauded the DIA for organising a Soft Skills Programme for the youth to enhance their employability in the BPO/ICT sector. The programme is geared towards equipping individuals with essential soft skills, with the ultimate goal of opening up employment opportunities in the BPO/ICT sector for them.
Through the programme, participants will learn valuable soft skills including: Communication skills, Customer service, Emotional intelligence, Leadership, Employability Skill, Managing tasks and workloads, Professional ethics and etiquettes, Creativity and Innovation, and Corporate Languages.
He also announced that the DIA will extend its training programme in Rodrigues. The strategy of Government, he reaffirmed, is to invest in the human capital by setting up an education and training environment adapted to the challenges of today and tomorrow.
For his part, the CEO of PML, Mr Yamal Matabadul commended the DIA for achieving a significant milestone and for addressing the critical issue of skills shortage. He recalled that PML has trained 105 students in the current batch under the DIA.
He indicated that among the participants, 73% said that they have gained confidence through the programme; 39% got a new job; and 30% were better able to discern what career path they would embrace as they move forward.
He also dwelt on the importance of soft skills and stated that they are in high demand in the workforce. He recalled that soft skills refer to both character traits and interpersonal skills that will influence how well a person can work or interact with others.
They cover a wide range of skills as diverse as teamwork, time management, empathy and delegation, he added. As for the CEO of the EDB, Mr Ken Poonoosamy, he emphasised that a talent pool in the ICT and new technologies sector is critical to ensure that development in the sector is on the right track.
According to him, the DIA is a gamechanger adding that the training platform will spearhead Government’s initiative to continuously train professionals in the BPO/ICT sector which in turn will allow the industry to continue to flourish.
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