Telecoms: We should jointly nurture the same small talent

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Telecommunication companies have teamed up to guide upcoming and prospective telecom engineers to ensure a bigger pool of professionals to serve the sector.

Rajesh Agarwal, Airtel Uganda Networks Director says that just like the Ugandan market, the human capital resources from which the telecom’s source talent, are also limited. He says, therefore, that much as the telecom companies are in competition for the customers, they have to together, aim at developing the skills basket for a sustainable technology industry.

Agarwal was speaking at the Third Kyambogo University Career Fair, organized by the university’s Engineering Society and ATC Uganda, a telecommunication infrastructure company.  He told students to concentrate on what they do if they have to convince or attract the big IT corporations to hire them, as the industry seeks the best skills.

His sentiments were repeated by MTN Chief Technical Officer, Abel Kibiryango, who said that the telecommunications industry seeks the best talent, yet engineering usually attracts relatively fewer students.

According to him, there is a need for continuity in the companies and the sector as a whole, hence the need to ensure that the younger persons are encouraged and supported to take up and complete the courses.

Kyambogo University was created on a science and technology foundation, having incorporated Uganda Polytechnic, the prime science and engineering tertiary institute in the country at that time, alongside the Institute of Teacher Education and other national institutes.

The telecom companies say they hold it in high regard because of this and the sustainability of the ICT and Engineering sectors heavily depend on its survival.

Stella Sekweyama, the Head of Human Resources at ATC Uganda expressed concern at the low completion rates in the engineering courses, saying there was a need to encourage students, especially females, to take up and graduate in the fields.

Kasadha Gavin, the President of Kyambogo University Engineering Society and main organizer welcomed the support of ATC Uganda and the telecommunications companies. He said that such events will help the students enhance their employability because interacting with prospective employers gives them more skills and readiness for the market.

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