Talent and Technology Lay the Foundation for Asia's Digital Economy

Catherine Chen

Senior Vice President and Board Member, Huawei

The digital economy has kicked into gear. As it does so, we're witnessing increasing collaboration between education, science, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and industries across all sectors, helping to navigate the transformation journey of organizations of all sizes. Digital talent development has therefore become paramount.

Asia's Huge Potential

Simply put, talent development and innovation in digital infrastructure will further accelerate Asia's digital economy.

ICT, the cloud, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are essential for any enterprise or organization looking to play a role in the digital economy. Even after the toll of COVID-19, many parts of Asia have shown the world the way toward stabilization, due to a sound digital ecosystem, a long-standing culture of innovation, and a long-term focus on talent development. Huawei aims to ensure that no one is left behind in this digital world. We hope to build an open, shared ICT talent ecosystem that benefits all. It cannot be over-stressed how important it is to invest in digital infrastructure and a talent ecosystem for a global digital revolution.

Going Digital with Talent and Technology

Over the past two decades of operations in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, Huawei has connected over 90 million households and enabled a further 2.2 billion mobile connections. It will continue to use partnerships to build a talent development ecosystem conducive to innovation.

Huawei has also been working on a technology innovation and application ecosystem, with the goal of helping the region navigate digital transformation efficiently and effectively. The next decade will see the wide deployment of new ICT, including 5G, AI, and the Internet of Things (IoT). As the cornerstone of the intelligent world in 2030, this new ICT — combined with digital talent — will drive industries to go digital.

Since the turn of the millennium, Huawei has invested heavily in developing local digital talent with our Seeds for the Future program now launched in 15 APAC countries and regions, benefiting more than 5000 students from over 90 universities. We have trained tens of thousands of engineers and technical experts in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand through our certification programs. Elsewhere, with an eye on sustainable equality, our Digital Training Bus project in Bangladesh has provided digital training for women in remote areas, helping to bridge the digital divide.

Within academia, Huawei is already working with top universities and has established over 259 ICT Academies in the region. Our Singapore Research Center has cooperated with local research institutes on 93 projects, covering technologies related to communications, video, voice, and security. In Sri Lanka, we've partnered with the University of Moratuwa and the National Defense College, in order to build innovation labs that provide the software and hardware required for ICT application and development, encouraging students to innovate in areas such as 5G, AI, the cloud, and other cutting-edge technologies.

A Bigger Role to Play Through Forging Larger Partnerships

In 2019, we launched our Huawei Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Academy, with the aim of conducting joint operations with local governments, enterprises, universities, carriers, and industry organizations. In addition to cultivating digital talent, the academy promotes innovation within startup communities and amongst Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

The program has trained over 130,000 participants in local communities, covering Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia. Huawei ASEAN Academy is one of our crucial talent development programs, and we expect it to play a bigger role in the future. Innovation and development rely on a talent ecosystem. Huawei is prepared to work with its partners to build a talent development ecosystem conducive to innovation. Over the next five years alone, Huawei will invest US$50 million to develop 500,000 digital talents in the APAC region.

Huawei's 20-year legacy in the APAC region has been a journey to discover like-minded friends. The digital world is becoming as essential as running water or electricity. It's imperative that we work together to build an inclusive, innovative, and vibrant ecosystem, attract and cultivate more digital talent, and jointly promote the development and prosperity of the region.