IT for Decision Makers Capacity Building By Taholo Kami for UNESCO Capacity Building Dilemma Human Resource Capacity is only one factor of many other limitations.
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Transcript IT for Decision Makers Capacity Building By Taholo Kami for UNESCO Capacity Building Dilemma Human Resource Capacity is only one factor of many other limitations.
IT for Decision Makers
Capacity Building
By Taholo Kami
for UNESCO
Capacity Building Dilemma
Human Resource Capacity is only one
factor of many other limitations including
infrastructure
regulatory issues
cost of access
How do we jump start a nation? Where do
we begin?
New Zealand in 2001 began developing a
fast tracking strategy to upskill the nation
FAST TRACKING versus
traditional Education strategies
Building a knowledge based society is a priority
Participation in the global economy is driven by
the ability to use information
Traditional education strategies are too slow
Fast tracking is identifying critical gaps in
capacity and focusing resources to close gaps at
an accelerated pace
Human Resources….
Human dimension is the most important
Affordable and fast Internet access without
the human capacity to optimize it is poor use
of resources.
E.g. Fiji’s Southern Cross cable will be
incentive to speed development of IT
initiatives but until human resources are able
to utilize access, it has little impact on
development.
The Challenge
Currently less then 5% of Pacific
populations have anything to do with the
Internet
We lack skills at all levels from general
awareness to specialist technical skills to
management and leadership.
We need to develop cultures that embrace
innovation and initiative and support
entrepreneurship
Who are we Targeting?
Government Employees
Private Enterprise
Civil Society
General Public
School Students
What kind of Skills?
Tangibles
Administrative
Management
Operational
Technical
Legal and Regulatory
Security
Intangibles
Innovation
Creativity
Initiative
Integrity
Entrepreneurship
Leadership
Administrative
High level Commitment
Agency or multi sectoral mechanism to
drive the transformation
Necessary resources
Management
Plan, organize, direct and control activities
Define new working procedures and
ethics
Solve problems and make decisions
Establish and maintain good
interdisciplinary relations
Ensure customer satisfaction through
quality control of services and products
Operational
Capable Manpower
Availability of necessary resources
Effective operating procedures
Good Systems backup services
Technical
Network hardware and terminal
equipment
Systems and network software
Compatibility with Internet standards
Networks and systems integration
Upgradable systems and networks
Legal and Regulatory
Protection of right to privacy
Setting and maintenance of Standards of
ethics
Establishment of framework that
effectively deals with computer crime
Security
Protection of systems hardware
Protection of information and database
Organizational security
Controls over data input, processing and
output
Intangibles (the “x” factors)
Difficult to produce but these are essential
“People factors”
Long term cultural change
Culture of organizations / nation must be
addressed
Involve Schools, Communities and Families.
In the short term spot potential champions at all levels and develop
and support
Provide Incentives that encourage innovation
Highlight successes
Assessment
Identifying Critical Gaps in Capacity
Available Skills
Training Facilities
Available Resources
Assessment
Existing Training Facilities
Education Institutions
Private agencies / facilities
Consultants / skilled trainers
Internal or In-house facilities
Distance education via Internet
Overseas Scholarships
Fast Tracking Strategy
Set Benchmark objectives
Must be realistic and attainable
Formal Education - examples
Every grade 6 primary school student will have basic
level computer skills by 200_
All high schools will offer IT courses by 200_
All teachers will have IT usage certificate by _
Technical and tertiary institutions will offer
international standard IT courses by 200_
10 scholarships per year for overseas IT training
Benchmarking continued
Integrate into workplace – egs
All Government employees level 1-9 must
have basic IT usage certificate by 200_
All new Government employees must have IT
usage certificate
Wage increments for further IT training
Incentives for private enterprise and
institutional employment training schemes by
200?
New Tracks….an example
Raising awareness and basic IT Skills
IT License / Passport Scheme
Objective to ensure passport/license holder
has basic computer and Internet skills
Passport / License holder needs to sit 4 to 5
one hour courses and a test
IT license /passport becomes necessary for
all employment.
Incentives provided to various institutions to
provide training
Fast Tracking
Link to existing Institutions
Financial Incentives for institutional participation
National recognition of special qualifications
Create new tracks…
Specialist courses for specific skills
Special courses for high level decision makers
Incentives that Motivate are those that make
sense to individuals own goals
Funding
Scholarships for overseas training
Incentives for new courses in local
institutions
Incentives to organizations to upskill staff
Incentives and funding for new private
training programmes
Incentives for individuals to participate in
special training courses
Retention Strategy
Cut the Brain Drain / leakage
Package Approach
Rewards are more then monetary
Professional Development
Career Progression
Peer Recognition
Good People build great organizations - great organizations are
cornerstones of national development
Conclusion
Upskilling a nation and creating
knowledge society requires
Clear and attainable objectives
A realistic but often unconventional strategy
to achieve objectives
Commitment of Resources
Remember Upskilling is a continuous
process
The biggest pool of natural
resources in the Pacific are our
people…..
empowering and enabling the
people is the engine for real growth.