Output oriented Training Programme it@ab for African IT Consultants in Germany Enters Second Stage

Hands-on Training Started in March

2004-04-15. Establishing a reliable IT-infrastructure is one of the crucial requirements for both a broadly based communications network and a sustained business and industry development in the South African Countries. Financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and carried out by InWEnt gGmbH, a training programme in Germany offers a whole year of studying for African Junior IT Consultants to provide them with technical knowledge and hand-on business training. The course is part of an international programme for capacity building by North-South partnership in African key business sectors in line with the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals.

Mere technical knowledge and advanced management capabilities in the information technologies area cannot easily be obtained in countries that are only just about to develop an IT infrastructure. The basic idea behind the programme called it@ab, an acronym for Information Technology in African Business, is to train young professionals from South African countries in an advanced IT environment that provides a high level mix of theoretical and practical learning. The whole programme being conducted under the lead management of InWEnt gGmbH, Capacity Building International – Cologne, consists of a 12 months program for further education in Germany.

In accordance with United Nations’ ambitious agenda known as the Millennium Development Goals, it@ab is designed to contribute to making available the benefits of new technologies in African developing countries. The courses are believed to stimulate a self sustained development and growth of information and communications technologies during the next decade, the most crucial element being the graduates who will transfer the much needed knowledge to their home countries. Thus, the it@ab participants will become real actors in the development of their respective countries, spreading the know-how and generating local IT projects in the near future.

Focus on Open Source Software and the Participants’ own projects

Currently 17 male and female participants from South Africa, Namibia, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Angola, and Mozambique complete the theoretical part of the course with 21 LearnLine AG in the south western German city of Freiburg, near the French and Swiss border. It is their second station after intense language classes in Saarbrücken. Under the tutelage of a whole team of highly qualified trainers and telecoaches, the participants deal with a whole range of IT related subjects, such as Internet technology and IT security, E-Business and E-Learning, IT project management and basic legal issues. According to the needs of the participants’ home countries for affordable techniques, there is a very strong focus on open source software.

Tangible Results within 12 months

Each of the participants of this high level IT-programme brought a rough concept of an own e-Project to Germany. After these 12 months Blended Training the participants will send tangible results back to their home-organisations. Thomas Jonas from the University of Namibia in Windhoek for example is working on technical solutions to enable the University of Namibia to act as an ISP Internet Service Provider in the future. Melinda Chulu from the SANTREN e-Learning department of the University of Zambia in Lusaka is concluding the operating concept of an open source based e-learning platform referring to the specific needs in Zambia. Frank Makoza from Epsilon and Omega Ltd. in Lilongwe Malawi is implementing an online-portal for transportation services.
“The mix of face-to-face education and individual computer based training, which we call Blended Learning, combines the benefits of personal guidance and autonomous learning,” says Peter Miez-Mangold, spokesman of the managing board of 21 LearnLine AG. “And not only that our participants seem to be quite happy with it, we are very pleased with the results and the quick progress of them.”

The Curriculum at a glance

• eDevelopment and eReadiness in developing countries
• Internet Technology
• IT-Security
• Collaborative Learning Environments
• Web publishing
• E-Business
• E-Learning
• Consulting skills focused on practical background
• Advanced Web Design
• Internet and Law
• Analysis of Training Needs
• IT-Project Management
• Access to information regarding the economy
• Secure E-Payment

Internships and management training

Beginning in June, the participants will attend guided internships in German Companies to learn the ropes of their business in a practical oriented, hands-on training. The practical side is an important and integral part of the programme that is meant to enable the young African consultants to draw from the expertise of well-versed professionals in Germany.
The final part of the programme consists of a one month management training course held in the German capital of Berlin.

Contact:
InWEnt gGmbH / Cologne
Frau Renate Finke
renate.finke@inwent.org

Contact:
21 LearnLine AG / Freiburg
Herr Rainer K. Kasemir
rainer.kasemir@21LL.com