[Bangkok, Thailand, May 5, 2022] More than 20 Thai students were invited to participate in the “Walk into ICT Industry” event hosted by Huawei Thailand and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) leading up to the Generation Connect Global Youth Summit. The event, which was held from April 26 to 28, brought students from all over the country to train at Huawei’s ASEAN Academy and tour Huawei’s Bangkok Customer Solution Innovation & Integration Experience Center (CSIC).
The ASEAN Academy training focused on the digital skills young people will need to support Thailand’s Digital Economy plan and the Thailand 4.0. During the tour of Huawei’s CSIC, students had the opportunity to interact with cutting edge ICT technologies and meet renowned ICT experts. On April 28th, the 20 participants were then invited to participate in ITU’s Girls in ICT Day Thailand 2022.
In her opening speech at the event, ITU’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Atsuko Okuda explained why ICT and digital skill training are so important to young people, “Youth have the right to achieve full economic, social, and digital inclusion. ICTs are tools through which both young women and men can substantively contribute to, participate in, and leverage their social and economic development.”
The Deputy Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Liu Ziping also commented on the importance of industry collaboration in these efforts, “It is equally important that we have the active involvement of the industry, which is able to bring to our younger generation hands-on technologies and skill, ideas of innovation, and prospect for career opportunities.”
Representatives from the Thai government, on the other hand, focused on how this ICT training benefits the country’s own economic ambitions. Thailand is currently calling upon multiple industries to provide digital training and upskilling to help the digital economy grow to 30% of Thailand’s total GDP by 2030. The Executive Director of the Internal Affairs Bureau at Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission Notachard Chintakanond said, “ICTs can enhance education, reduce youth unemployment, and promote social and economic development. Huawei’s Digital Technology is already helping Thailand to become ASEAN’s Digital Hub.”
The Deputy Permanent Secretary of Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society Nattapon Nattasomboon also said, “We are delighted to attend today’s event hosted by Huawei and ITU. I believe this program will play an important role in bridging the digital talent gap by equipping Thai youth with the essential skills that will enable them to thrive in the digital era.”
According to the WEF Digital Skill Report, only 55% of workers in Thailand have the skills the country will need to become the digital hub of the ASEAN region. Huawei has been working to cultivate talent in the country for several years. Huawei Thailand’s Board Director Edison Xu attributed much of the company’s recent success in this area to the cooperation and support of their partners. As an enabler of digital transformation, Huawei has committed itself to multiple initiatives aimed at fostering Thailand’s talent ecosystem as part of their “Grow in Thailand, Contribute to Thailand” strategy. This includes supporting ITU’s Generation Connect initiative, the ASEAN Academy, the Spark Program, and Huawei’s own flagship Seeds for the Future program.
Across the broader Asia Pacific Region, Huawei has also announced that it will invest US$50 million to train 500,000 people over 5 years, and invest US$100 million over three years to cultivate the region’s startup ecosystem. Huawei’s ASEAN Academy has already helped train over 41,000 digital professionals, and the company is committed to closing the gap between knowledge learned in the classroom and the skills required by industry.
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