Capacity building/training focus to meet ICT manpower needs in 2008 DOES the nation want growth and development through Information and Communications Technology (ICT)? Or is it satisfied with matter of consumption or the rat race of "keeping up with the rest of the world"?. Real development means using ICT to combat poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease. The importance of human capital cannot be overstressed. While technology and infrastructure always seems to be at the forefront, it is what you do with access that matters. What is the essence of technology? How important is human growth? Developing a knowledge-driven economy means people must come first. Progress today is propelled by a combination of knowledge, technology, and most importantly people. Are people using ICT to create wealth? Is ICT being deployed by individuals and organisations to conserve foreign exchange and reduce foreign dependency? Where is infrastructure taking the people to? Technology on its own can do nothing. It is people that will determine the growth and impact technology will have. It is people that will determine how ICT is used in the economy and in society. Human Resource Development (HRD) as a priority The question is do we want real development or we are satisfied with masquerades posing as solutions? Are we to remain spectators or active participants? Then human resource development must be high on the agenda. It must be top priority. It is people who will create, operate, run, support and manage the technologies to improve their lives and the environment. Where are we on the human capital scale? Can a nation be a knowledge society giant simply by investing in infrastructure? People are the focus of development. There are pockets of access and things may have improved. But to assess quality, we must know what proportion of the populace utilises knowledge of the benefits and opportunities offered by ICT. Access means availability. But how deep is the penetration and can there be value without participation? Improved access to the Internet and ICT resources is critical. However, in the absence of awareness, ICT driven development will be a mirage. The challenges of illiteracy and poverty are real. Developing the required human capital is major and must be addressed by nations seeking to develop their information societies. Can the human capital in Eket, Isanlu, Funtua, Mbaise, Fiditi, Dutse and Abonema meet the needs of the digital economy? Is the Digital nation soon coming or a distant dream? What is the substance of education and training? And how inclusive is new economy education? Adequate or lagging far behind or just keeping in touch? Today, nations harness the benefits of a knowledge society when their citizens use the infrastructure of today's age to create new ways of doing business and new knowledge opportunities. Penetration, participation, skills availability human resource development is core. Capabilities of individuals and organisations should be geared towards fostering national development and global competitiveness. Globalisation has changed the status quo. Geographical barriers are no more. Your location is now immaterial. How have individuals and businesses in Afikpo, Jalingo, Ajasse-Ipo, Kachia, Ugep, Sagbama, Owo and Damaturu tapped into these opportunities? Having natural resources alone will not do. Contribution through knowledge and the new economy infrastructure is what matters. The main issue is the quality of your human capital. Telecom infrastructure growth in Nigeria has been rapid, due to the Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM) explosion.
Of course specialised skills were used to make this happen. Were most of such skills imported or locally available? And beyond GSM, how can the nation take advantage of other knowledge economy opportunities such as BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) / information technology enabled services, technology parks, etc? Is local availability of the required skills sufficient to attract local and foreign investors? Education for the knowledge society Education is therefore paramount; education in the areas of science, technology, information technologies, networking, telecommunications and e-business. "Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education", according to John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Today, digital literacy skills are now life skills required by all. But what is the educational system (including formal, informal, public and private) doing? The essence of the educational system is to facilitate the development of a productive and inclusive knowledge society. This goes beyond mere activity, rituals and campuses in every state; this is no time for window dressing. The issues are more about competence and quality of the educational institutions, students and teachers. Are these participants enmeshed in certificateinfrastructure rituals? Or are they meeting local and global needs the immediate and the long term? How well have we identified ICT capacity and education (skills, knowledge) needs? What does industry need? What are the research needs? What are the social divides? Where does the nation need to be globally competitive? The focus should be on closing the learning and doing gaps in society. Human growth or waste of human real estate A huge population must mean more than a massive market for digital traders. In deploying ICT for development people are the strategic resource. Does the environment encourage such human growth? What proportion of the populace can contribute using ICTs? What is the real impact of technology on their lives? The focus needs to be on getting more out of people through education. Today's learners and teachers should be able to use ICT and related expertise to uncover new business and social value. Otherwise, what is point? What is the goal? Human growth or the continued waste of human real estate? Can the human resource developed and transform the economy into one that is agile and globally competitive? Furthermore, lifelong education is required for sustainable growth. Change in ICTs is so rapid. Continued relevance and growth depend on how prepared the citizens are for the world of constant change. Counseling, career planning, work experience, soft skills and HRD planning must therefore come into play. The knowledge culture requires not just ability to exploit opportunity but the right mindset (creativity, flexibility and openness to change). The digital economy throws up new prospects and new roadblocks. How ready are the people for the digital opportunities and challenges? Without developing the right environment and the required competencies, growth is make-believe. And where the right mentality is missing, imported infrastructure and technology masterpieces only help in populating the digital slave camps.