Huawei: Fostering talent development to strengthen Pakistan's ICT infrastructure.

BEIJING -- In Pakistan, and in countries across the globe, the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the growth of tech ecosystems, due to the growing human capital in the country and rising investments in technology startups.

Multiple news publications in Pakistan reported that start-ups had raised US 240 million dollars in investment in 2021. The figure was US$ 66 million in 2020. Technology has the potential to fundamentally alter how government works in Pakistan and can help fundamentally alter the cost, effectiveness, transparency, and efficiency of government, according to an article published by China Economic Net (CEN) on Saturday.

To strengthen this promising dynamic for the future development of Pakistan, it is more necessary than ever to support digital talent. As a country of 220 million people, almost two-thirds of whom are under the age of 30, Pakistan draws natural comparisons to Indonesia - which has rapidly emerged as one of the most vibrant technology ecosystems outside the U.S. and China. The rapid emergence of Pakistan's technology ecosystem on the international stage has been no accident - it's the result of a confluence of changing facts on the ground and shifting dynamics in talent development as a result of the pandemic.

One company that has contributed vastly to this technological shift is Huawei Technologies Pakistan; for the past 24 years, other than providing B2B ICT solutions and services in Pakistan, the company has always been actively involved in technology transfer and local talent training in order to promote the development of the youth. One of Huawei's most prestigious programs to cultivate local ICT talent and sow its investment in the country's potential has been an annual international ICT competition that allows the winners of the domestic chapter of the competition to travel to China to compete in the final for a grand prize of US $ 20,000. It provides them with a hands-on experience with exposure to other motivated, innovative, youthful individuals from all over the world to create an environment of progress and mutual learning.

In the last competition, more than 15,000 students and 450 universities across Middle East countries enrolled in the Huawei ICT Competition, of which 1000 students got the Huawei certification. Being an international competition, it is one of the most influential events in its field. Star pupil of team one, under the mentorship of Muhammad Salman from Huawei's Academy Support...