A multinational technology company recently held its annual “Seeds for the Future 2020” event in Bangkok to offer talented and motivated university students the opportunity to enhance their digital skills through a hands-on training program with leading ICT experts.
A group of 15 students from Chulalongkorn University (CU), Kasetsart University (KU), King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) and King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), were selected to participate in an exclusive five-day ICT course covering the fields of 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud and the firm’s mobile services (HMS) centre.
Initiated in Bangkok in 2008, the Seeds for the Future program aims to help cultivate young talent, ensuring that the digitally-resilient young people have the skills and mindset needed to compete in the future work landscape. Every year over the past decade, 10 qualified Thai students were given a chance to go on a two-week ICT study trip to China, where they meet fellow students from 125 countries and explore first-hand Huawei’s state-of-the-art learning centres and facilities in Shenzhen and Beijing.
Due to the global pandemic, this year’s event was held locally at the Thailand branch head’s office. The intensive week-long program included ICT courses live-streamed from the tech’s headquarters, an extensive culture workshop, offline courses held exclusively at the office and a comprehensive tour of Thailand 5G Ecosystem Innovation Centre (5G EIC) and Customer Solution Innovation and Integration Experience Center.
Experts on 5G, Cloud, Artificial Intelligent (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and HMS shared industry insights as well as their personal experience in helping the country’s transformation using advanced technologies. The company also invited the team from the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) which under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. During this special session, the students listened to a presentation on the role of ICT technology in developing solutions and services for the e-commerce sector in Thailand.
The presence of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society Permanent Secretary confirmed the firm’s alliance and commitment with the public sector. Because of its relevance and importance to Thai progress, the program has had the support of the Ministry for several years.
It was noted that the DES Ministry believes that ICT skills development is critical for today’s digital economy. Practical training programs will enhance the students’ ICT capabilities and broaden their horizon. The tech firm’s long-term mission to incubate young talent and unlock opportunities for sustainable growth is in line with the governments. The Seeds for the Future program contributes to Thailand’s digitalization that will drive the country towards Thailand 4.0, the Permanent Secretary said.
During his opening address, the CEO of the firm’s Thailand branch stated that the company is proud to be part of Thailand’s development. With the mission of ‘Grow in Thailand, Contribute to Thailand,’ they stress their commitment to helping Thailand become a digital hub in the Asia Pacific region. Their implementation of the Seeds for the Future Program is proof of their commitment to helping promising, young ICT talent gain knowledge and skills about new technologies, and boost their career paths.
As a prominent enabler and accelerator of digital transformation, the tech giant has been investing heavily in cultivating ICT professionals and concentrating its efforts on supporting the development of the ICT ecosystem in Thailand. Over the past two decades, several government agencies have partnered with the tech giant to create effective ICT development models that bring benefits to society for decades to come.
Through talent promotion programs such as the Seeds for the Future initiative, the company seeks to close the gap between knowledge learned in the classroom and the skills required by the industry. The government intends to continue to support and collaborate with the firm to enable sustainable economic and social development in Thailand.
