IFCE has worked with Huawei to set up Latin America's first IASC to cultivate digital talent and impact a broader community.
By Professor Herleson Pontes, Federal Institute of Ceará (IFCE), Brazil
By Professor Moacyr Regys Simões Moreira, Federal Institute of Ceará (IFCE), Brazil
Brazil is going through a significant digital transformation process, driven by the need for modern infrastructure and connectivity. This shift is reshaping its economic landscape and promoting social inclusion. However, a major challenge remains: a shortage of qualified ICT professionals. Studies predict Brazil will need over 600,000 ICT specialists in the coming years, but technical training programs are still limited, particularly in less advantaged areas. Partnerships between educational institutions and tech companies are essential to accelerate professional training.
The Federal Institute of Ceará (IFCE) is part of a national network comprising 40 federal institutes, which collectively encompass 661 units across Brazil (see Figure 1). This network offers over 11,000 courses and has more than 1 million currently enrolled students, making it one of the largest technical education systems in the country. The federal network provides diverse levels and modalities of education. It offers students a comprehensive educational path starting with technical courses and, if desired, undergraduate, postgraduate, and even doctoral programs.
Figure 1: Federal Institute of Ceará (IFCE)
The Huawei–IFCE journey
The partnership between Huawei and the IFCE was initiated in 2018, in large part by Professor Moacyr Regys Simões Moreira. He sought collaboration with leading technology companies, recognizing the need to provide students and professionals in the region with greater access to cutting-edge technologies and qualifications in a highly competitive ICT market. Ultimately, he found the ideal partner in Huawei.
The turning point occurred in May 2019, when the partnership was officially consolidated with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the IFCE and Huawei. From that moment on, the IFCE's Huawei ICT Academy continued to gain visibility and expand its activities beyond training small groups of students. Huawei began providing more resources and technical support, enabling the creation of a broader education program. As a result of this expansion, the academy transformed from a small laboratory into a leading center for training and certification in emerging technologies, including Huawei networking, 5G, and access laboratory equipment, in the state of Ceará.
Over the past few years, the program has had a clear positive impact, with significant growth in the number of students and teachers trained. Teachers and faculty staff have created new learning paths and integrated cutting-edge technologies into the curriculum.
The program began with a series of courses aimed at certifications in networking, including preparation for the Huawei Certified ICT Associate (HCIA) Routing and Switching Certification. From July 2020 to March 2021, this course trained over 200 students, leading to the certification of 51 individuals. As the program expanded, the IFCE began offering courses in other areas such as 5G and AI. Notably, the HCIA 5G Certification course conducted from December 2020 to July 2021 trained more than 700 students, resulting in 181 certifications. Similarly, the AI course trained over 400 students during the same period, with 67 students achieving certification.
These outcomes not only demonstrate the program's capacity to meet the growing demand for technical qualifications, but highlight the role of the Huawei ICT Academy in cultivating new professionals for the job market, addressing critical gaps in specialized labor training in Brazil.
In addition to courses for students, the Huawei ICT Academy at the IFCE has made substantial investments in training its teaching staff, resulting in a notable number of certified instructors across various fields. Currently, the IFCE boasts 9 certified teachers in Routing and Switching, 7 in 5G, 5 in AI, and 1 in WLAN. This expertise ensures quality instruction. The professional development of the teaching staff has established the Huawei ICT Academy as a leading example for training and lifelong learning. The scope of training has been expanded to attract not only students from within the institute, but professionals from other institutions and small businesses in the region.
Huawei ICT Competition: Where all started
The Huawei ICT Academy at the IFCE has excelled in training students and teachers and gained national and international recognition. A key highlight is the IFCE's strong performance in the Huawei ICT Competition.
Since joining in 2019, the IFCE has consistently ranked high, winning 1st place in the National Final and 3rd in the Global Final in 2019–2020. Success continued when they secured 1st place in the Regional Final and 2nd in the Global Final in 2021–2022. In 2022–2023, the IFCE secured 3rd place globally in the Network Track (as shown in Figure 2). Most recently, in 2023–2024, the IFCE achieved 3rd place in the Regional Final in the Computing Track, demonstrating their competitiveness and adaptability to new fields.
Figure 2: IFCE students perform excellently in the Huawei ICT Competition
Projects fundamental to social development
Another prominent project of the Huawei ICT Academy at the IFCE is "Student to Student", created by Professor Moacyr Regys and two students from the institution, Ana Beatriz Araújo Leite and Angel Coello de Jesus Chero. The project aims to promote a collaborative learning environment, where students themselves take on the roles of mentors and leaders, guiding classmates in the development of technical and leadership skills. This innovative student-run management and teaching model not only facilitates the transmission of knowledge, but creates a culture of cooperation and mutual support, essential for academic and professional growth.
The impact of "Student to Student" is reflected in the growing number of students involved and the creation of study groups and independent projects that use the Huawei Academy structure to promote new initiatives.
The Huawei ICT Academy at the IFCE also focuses on social initiatives for digital inclusion and tech literacy. One notable project is "Mommy, Auntie, and Grandma," which helps elderly women, many of whom lack access to digital technology. This initiative promotes digital independence for elderly women by providing them with a supportive space to learn basic computer skills and use devices like smartphones and computers.
IFCE as a Huawei ICT Academy Support Center
In 2021, the IFCE's Huawei ICT Academy reached an important milestone by becoming the first ICT Academy Support Center (IASC) in Latin America, consolidating its position as a center of reference in the technological training ecosystem. This recognition allows the Huawei ICT Academy at the IFCE to act not only as a training academy, but a support center for other academies in the region. The center offers guidance, training, and technical support for the development and operation of Huawei's teaching programs in its ICT Academies in Brazil. This new role reinforces the IFCE's responsibility to strengthen the network of institutions that share the objective of promoting quality training and expanding access to education throughout Brazil and Latin America.
Expanding Huawei ICT Academies with the IFCE
The success of the Huawei ICT Academy at the IFCE also extended beyond the institution's walls through strategic partnerships with organizations such as National Service of Industrial Training (SENAI), the Secretary of Education of Ceará (SEDUC), and Federal Data Processing Service (SERPRO). Collaboration with these institutions has resulted in more than 5,000 trained students and 300 Huawei certifications issued in different areas, such as networking, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
Collaboration with SERPRO, for example, enabled the training of public servants and IT professionals who work directly in government services, while partnerships with SENAI and SEDUC offered technical training courses for young people in vulnerable situations. These projects not only strengthened the Huawei ICT Academy's presence in the educational landscape, but contributed to the development of qualified professionals to meet job market needs.
The ICT Roadshow is another project carried out in partnership with the State University of Ceará and the Iracema Institute of Research and Innovation. On this road trip, a group of trainers travelled by coach to more than 25 Brazilian cities. They targeted regions with less access to technical training courses, reinforcing the IFCE's role as an agent of digital inclusion.
Despite the recognition garnered by the Huawei ICT Academy at the IFCE, the implementation and expansion of the program has faced several challenges over the years. One of the main obstacles was the English language barrier. For many students, proficiency in English presented itself as a barrier that limited not only their understanding, but their ability to obtain certifications that require command of a foreign language on top of technical knowledge.
The Huawei ICT Academy at the IFCE used a collaborative approach to overcome this barrier. This initiative resulted in a project called "Learning with Translation", an innovative solution where students with higher English proficiency translated materials and created study guides in Portuguese to help other students.
The success of the IFCE's various initiatives was recognized internationally in 2022 and 2023 with the Huawei Excellent Global Talent Ecosystem Partner Award. This honor highlights the IFCE's commitment to fostering a superb talent ecosystem on a global scale.
IFCE's roadmap
Building on a strong foundation, the academy aims to expand into new campuses and municipalities across Ceará, providing more communities with access to quality ICT training. This ambitious plan includes establishing new training centers focused on emerging technologies to prepare students for a competitive global market.
A key goal is to strengthen partnerships with local governments, educational institutions, and businesses to enhance program reach in remote areas. The plan is to create decentralized educational hubs that connect knowledge from main IFCE campuses with local initiatives to provide equal access to education for all.
The Huawei ICT Academy at the IFCE represents a significant advancement in technical training that addresses job market needs. This successful partnership continues to grow, impacting students and professionals regionally. The academy remains steadfast in its commitment to quality education.
