In late November, 40 skilled young graduates who’ve taken part in Huawei’s ICT Academy, got the invaluable opportunity to put themselves forward to prospective employers at Huawei’s annual ICT Talent Job Fair.

The annual fair is the culmination of the Huawei ICT Academy Programme, and aims to nurture ICT talent and empower women in technology, by promoting local Huawei-certified graduates to Huawei partners and offer them employment opportunities. Since launching the programme in 2017, more than 286 graduates have been placed in jobs at Huawei and its channel partners.

Huawei ICT Talent Job Fair 2023

At this year’s event, students had the opportunity to do onsite interviews with six Huawei partner organisations, namely; Altron, BCX, M Technologies, IT Naledi, Gijima, and Reflex Solutions.

Participants have all attended the Huawei ICT Academy, in which they studied courses in cutting edge technologies like 5G, Cloud and Artificial Intelligence. These academies are located in leading tertiary institutions in South Africa, including universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. In addition to participating in the Huawei ICT Academy Programme, students must have passed a global exam and be a Huawei Certified ICT Associate (HCIA) to take part in the job fair.

“The whole purpose of this ICT Academy is to deliver Huawei courses which cover emerging technology trends so that students are up to date with the latest ICT skills. We then provide top-tier talent to our South African partners through Huawei career certifications,” said Noluthando Madzivhe, Talent Development Manager, Huawei South Africa.

An ongoing commitment

Speaking at the event, Mohammed Bismilla, Head of Emerging Talent at Huawei South Africa said, “Our annual job fair is a demonstration of Huawei’s commitment to fostering talent and diversity in the tech industry, as well as actively being the bridge between academia and industry.”

Alumni of these programmes have gone on to achieve significant goals in their careers, too. One such alumnus is Xola Pikoli, M Technologies’ Chief Digital Officer, who was present at the job’s fair event.

“For me, this is home,” he said. “I am also the beneficiary of one of the Huawei talent development programmes. I was fortunate enough, when I was in university, to go to China as an exchange student in Shenzhen. Then after that, on a similar programme to this one, I was placed at BCX, my very first ever employer, as a solutions architect.”

Fostering diversity

Through each of its initiatives, including the graduate programme and job fair, Huawei also seeks to promote diversity and inclusion. This extends to ensuring that each of its programmes is fully gender inclusive. That’s especially important in the tech sector, where women make up less than 28% of the global technology workforce and just 17% of CEOs.

This commitment is reflected in the experiences of women who’ve participated in Huawei’s skills development programmes and who now work for the company.

“In varsity one of our lecturers shared that he was part of a project to launch a satellite, and I remember thinking I wanted to be part of something like that,” said Bongiwe Lucia Menzi, who is an alumnus of the Huawei graduate programme. “I am proud to say that every day we strive to touch a life with our expertise. Even a small thing like fixing the signal in an area so that someone can use web search engines to do research for their homework will make a big difference down the line.”

“Huawei has provided me with a clear career path and opportunities for advancement,” says fellow alumnus and networking engineer at Huawei, Yuveshni Juggadesan. “It's reassuring to know that my dedication and hard work can lead to professional growth within the company.”

This support was echoed at the event by Lebogang Kgokilwe, an ICT Academy Graduate and now a networking engineer at Huawei.

“The Huawei ICT Academy, with its emphasis on real-world applications and industry-relevant skills, has empowered me to navigate challenges and contribute meaningfully to my professional field,” she

said. “Looking ahead, I believe that the Huawei ICT Academy can continue to be a guiding force in my career. The programme's commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements aligns perfectly with the dynamic nature of the ICT industry.”

In addition to the graduate programme, Huawei runs several other skills development initiatives aimed at young people. These include Seeds for the Future, a student ICT programme, and bursary and learnership offerings. The Huawei Graduate Programme is currently open for the 2024 intake.

Students studying ICT courses such as electrical engineering, information technology, computer science and related courses can apply by scanning this QR code or on this link.