Intelligent CIO Africa Issue 18 | Page 81

INDUSTRY WATCH HAVING MODULES THAT TECHNICAL TEAMS CAN GO THROUGH TO TEST THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AFTER COMPLETING TRAINING CAN ALSO GO A LONG WAY TO UPSKILLING INDIVIDUALS. A frica’s dearth of skilled employees and its poor ability to nurture talent through educating, training and employing its people has been highlighted in the Human Capital Report 2017 from the World Economic Forum (WEF), where sub-Saharan Africa is the lowest ranked region in the index characterised by chronically low investment in education and learning. “Considering this, it is evident that should we want to uplift our education methodology, not only from grass root levels, but also across all levels of training, so we need to look at things differently,” said Graham. “We need to view technology as an enabler. In an education system for example, it enables a better teaching/ learner experience as it opens up new and improved ways to learn, access information and interact. “Take e-learning for example. Educators have the opportunity to add the curriculum online and communicate with their students regardless of the location, which means feedback and interaction is boosted. Additionally, parents can also get a view of what is being taught in class instead of waiting for a parent/teacher meeting that occurs once a quarter, allowing for a more hands-on approach. “In a corporate space, technology can enable project success or career www.intelligentcio.com Riaan Graham, Sales Director for sub- Saharan Africa at Ruckus Networks development. Having a training portal allows businesses and teams to keep abreast of new industry developments, new products and of course, technical and engineering information. What’s more, it can also include sales and marketing material to assist the partners in their business outreach. Having modules that technical teams can go through to test their knowledge and skills after completing training can also go a long way to upskilling individuals. “There is no doubt that technology has changed the way we communicate as it enables real-time interactions; and putting this platform in the hands of school children, varsity or college students and adult learners can have a positive impact on the entire process from access to books, access INTELLIGENTCIO 81