20 December, 2017: Huawei has announced the end of the Lebanon chapter of its ICT Skills Competition 2017. Aimed at universities and students, the competition seeks to recognize and nurture the region’s finest ICT talent. The winners have earned a trip to China at the end of December, where they will compete with international finalists and receive knowledge training from top executives at Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen. The announcement was made at an event in Lebanon attended by Jamal Jarrah, Minister of Telecommunications.
The ICT Skill Competition was made possible through strong partnerships between Huawei and Ministry of Telecommunications as well as the support the Chinese embassy in Lebanon. The generation of students involved is expected to lead Lebanon’s ICT industry into the future by embracing the digital transformation. The ICT Skill Competition is specifically designed to prepare this generation for such a responsibility.
Over 60 students registered for the competition in Lebanon, which was open to more than 10 universities across the country. The preliminary exam took place on 29th October in Lebanon across university exam centers. Out of the 60 students who attended, 20 were selected for the national final. Ultimately, 3 students were chosen for the international final, all from Lebanese University. They will travel to China at the end of the month to compete internationally.
“We are honored to be partnering with Huawei to combine our knowledge and experience to support the ICT Skills Competition across Lebanon,” Jamal Jarrah, Minister of Telecommunications. “This initiative is a valuable effort that will develop critical ICT skills for young Lebanese from which the entire nation will benefit.”
Huawei will grant the winners an exclusive fully paid trip to the company’s international headquarters in Shenzhen and the chance to meet with the brand’s leadership. They will gain unrivaled exposure to Huawei’s expertise in telecommunications, enterprise, and consumer business, not to mention a priceless cultural experience and knowledge exchange.
“Knowledge transfer and nurturing future ICT talent has always been a core pillar of the Huawei way, and we are thrilled to be able to launch the ICT Skill Competition for that exact reason. The future of ICT progress lays in the hands of our students, and by developing platforms and programs that allow them to grow and mature into experts, we can better equip the next generation of technology leaders,” said Li Shi, CEO of Huawei Lebanon office.
In total, 10,285 students across the Middle East applied for the competition, from which 4,113 were selected to take part in the preliminary rounds. 310 students passed on to the final round, and 39 in total will be traveling to China to compete internationally. The ICT Competition was made possible through the cooperation of 14 ministries across the Middle East. Huawei had 4 training partners to help prepare students for the rigorous exam. 121 universities took part in total, and 65 participated in the roadshow.
“This competition is not only about awards or prizes, but also a transformation to our mindset from a wish to a will, from intent to work, and from words to results. And here, the results are not only grades; after all grades and awards come and go; the real result is the hidden journey from what other people can see.” said Ahmad Hijazi, the top-ranked student in this competition. “All of this couldn’t have happened without companies like Huawei which encourage and support students all around the world through raising the competitiveness inside of them until they start believing in themselves. I would like to thank Huawei for this competition.”
The winners of the international final competition in Huawei Shenzhen Headquarters will receive certificates, trophies, and prizes, in addition to awarding the most outstanding team with $30,000 USD in cash, the next two teams will claim second place and three teams will be awarded third place. The next seven teams will receive Excellence Prizes, while 6 tutors and 5 academies will also be recognized with the Excellent Tutor and Best Academy Prizes.
The competition is part of Huawei’s longstanding effort to have a positive impact on the community in Lebanon. Huawei has already implemented a Seeds for the Future program to offer training and internships to promising students across the region. The ICT Skill Competition offers students additional opportunities to gain valuable experience in the industry. Participants will work in a real laboratory, and tackle some of the industry’s most complex challenges. The competition material is based on advanced IP and IT material, and tests competitors on their knowledge of cloud computing, switching, routing, and network security. It is a unique opportunity for students to test their abilities in ICT’s most cutting edge fields.