Huawei Launches ‘Seeds for the Future’ for the Third Consecutive Year

Kuala Lumpur, August 27, 2016 : Huawei is launching its ‘Seeds for the Future’ program for the third consecutive year following the success of the past two programmes, giving 15 Malaysian students an opportunity of a lifetime to undergo a two week study trip to China. The selected students are currently pursuing their studies in electronic engineering and computer science from several local universities.

The ‘Seeds for the Future’ program is fully sponsored by Huawei and provides students the opportunity of a cultural and comprehensive first-hand working experience in Beijing and in Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen. Established in 2008, ‘Seeds for the Future’ is Huawei’s global CSR flagship program which continues to be a reflection of their unwavering commitment in developing the ICT industry, starting with education. It seeks to develop local ICT talent, enhance knowledge transfer, encourage a greater understanding of the ICT sector, and promote regional building and participation in the digital community.

Speaking at the students orientation ceremony, Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching, Deputy Minister of Higher Education Malaysia, Ministry of Higher Education, “There is a great need for industry-academia collaborations as some of the challenges faced by companies these days are often a talent shortage and a mismatch of skills in the market. Companies and universities need to work together to ensure graduates know what employers are looking for; making them industry-ready once they join the workforce. Industry-academia collaborations such as ‘Seeds for the Future’ will help graduates boost their employability and ultimately set us on the path to achieving high-income nation status. Huawei’s programme will definitely help to enable our graduates to make informed decisions as well as groom them for the digital age.” As part of the officiating ceremony and a show of strong partnership, Datuk Mary Yap “Liked” the Huawei Malaysia Seeds for the Future Facebook page.

Mr. Zhang Wei, HR Director of Huawei Southern Pacific Region said, “We are always working with local universities to identify exceptional and promising young talent to participate in our ‘Seeds for the Future’ programme in order to help create their path for a successful career in the ICT industry. Through our courses, these students will be able to familiarize themselves with our cutting-edge technologies and latest industry trends. They will be able to hone the right skill sets and the experience will enable them to succeed in the digital future. We appreciate the great support from Ministry of Higher Education, especially the Industry Relation Division, for helping us make this project happen.”

Over the two weeks, the students will learn about trends in mobile internet application and development, intelligent network application and development, and many other cutting-edge solutions through technology workshops and networking events. Apart from this, they will receive Mandarin language classes and cultural training such as calligraphy and painting, and also get to have some fun going on city tours. The students are scheduled to depart on 9 September and will return to Malaysia on 24 September.

Mr. Zhang Wei added, “The current landscape shows Malaysia as a fast emerging hub for regional IoT innovation projects in Southeast Asia. As a result, we believe it is crucial that this generation receives the right education and training to prepare them to take on opportunities and challenges in the future. We are trying to build and match their skill sets for the future.”

As a leading collaborative contributor to the industry, Huawei has been raising the bar when it comes to ICT human capital development in Malaysia. The company trains 20,000 engineers annually at its global training centers in Cyberjaya. In partnership with MDeC, Huawei facilitates ICT training for 10,000 teachers and students and has built training labs in eight top local universities. Other Huawei initiatives include this year’s “Be the Next Entrepreneur” in which the company has rolled out a series of programs to boost the spirit of entrepreneurship among the Malaysian youth in more than 20 universities. The program is designed to encourage university students to come up with new and innovative marketing ideas and activities to promote the newly launched Huawei devices. Huawei also offers internship opportunities and selects the top performers providing them with the opportunity to work with the company. In addition, the company organizes career talks with these universities to share their expertise, industry knowledge and advice for the benefit of the students.