The world of Information Communication Technology is one of the fastest growing industries on the globe. In recent times, Africa has proven itself to be a true contender in the ICT industry where the East African region most especially, has fostered much advancement in digital and mobile development – not at least in mobile payment systems, like M-Pesa in Kenya or e-health and e-education systems in Tansania – that have assisted tremendously in creating various start-up companies, ICT and many other opportunities.
The growing sector demands for advance skilled ICT professionals as there still lays a vacuum of advanced training and capacity building of the ICT sector in the region with a strong focus on a local West African context.
In response, ACE Communications Executive in collaboration with Project Lighthouse Gambia developed and executed the first Advanced ICT Training Camp 2015, where 80 young ICT professionals from Ghana, Nigeria and The Gambia had the opportunity to advance their theoretical and practical knowledge in ICT.
For 3 weeks in April 2015, the camp put a special focus on local ICT challenges and opportunities in areas that are current and relevant, most especially, aligned with strategic priorities for public governance, private sector growth and entrepreneurship within the ICT sector of West Africa.
In view of that the Camp also offered the chance to boost the development of new project ideas and concepts, summing up in a final international conference “Bridging the ICT Gap in West Africa”, with various international academic experts and practitioners.
The first AICTT Camp has shown that the Camp concept is a perfect medium to usher in this regional ‘shape shift’ to the global standards and beyond. Thus, without an iota of doubt, developing countries in West Africa do need to keep pace with the changing and advancing nature of ICT – not least in the sub region – and enhance the skills of West Africa’s ICT professionals.
AICTT Camp is conceptualized as an annual advanced ICT for Development training program and is designed for young male and female ICT professionals from West Africa between the ages of 23 to 35. AICTT Camp is targeting participants with medium ICT sector knowledge and experience.
The program strived to link young ICT professionals across the West African region in a global knowledge-sharing platform to enhance regional integration. Believe of AICTT Camp is, that strong investments in human capital are key to growth, competiveness and service delivery in both public and private sectors.
