The CUTI management recently received the dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of the Republic, María Simón.
At the meeting, the vice-president of the CUTI Human Capital Commission and member of the board, Aníbal Gonda, presented the training ideas promoted by CUTI and called for strengthening the links between the two parties.
His presentation was based on the presentation of the "b-IT" programme, which aims to train 4,000 technicians in four years, through a project financed with 4,000,000 dollars from the National Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (INEFOP) and 1,000,000 dollars from industry.
The initiative also provides graduates with a first work experience of at least eight months through the "I study and work in ICT" programme.
In order to define which specialisations, careers or courses to allocate funds to, the aim is to create an "observatory" in which academia and industry share their concerns and needs, and on this basis plan the best strategy.
Staff training
The CUTI authorities emphasised how important it is for the IT sector to have more trained personnel.
"We currently employ 12,000 people in the sector and we don't take on more because there aren't any," said Gonda, who explained that this figure only includes people working in CUTI's partner companies. To this must be added those who are employed by other companies outside the sector, as well as those employed by the state.
The members of the engineering delegation concluded that the "best option" for many young people is a career as a technologist, which is in line with CUTI's view.
With its three-year duration, it currently has a "shortage" of teachers, especially in Montevideo.
Simón stressed that it would also be possible to "strengthen training in testing", an area that does not require prior training in technology and has excellent employment opportunities.
On the other hand, Simon emphasised the need to "add more women in technology careers". He said that if the same number of women as men entered the faculty, enrolment would increase by 40%.
Gonda supported the proposal and stressed that both CUTI and the Faculty should aim to "work on raising awareness and communicating the opportunities offered by the sector, both in terms of employment and training".
"We have to go out and tell people, young people, that you don't have to be a NASA engineer to work in a technology company. We have to show them the options and short careers that offer a quick entry into the labour market," he said.
In this regard, Lamé asked the authorities of the Faculty of Engineering to accompany CUTI on a tour of the interior of the country to communicate the opportunities in the sector, in order to promote training outside Montevideo.
He stressed that it is important to "reinforce blended and online learning options. There are many people who do not want to or cannot come to study or work in Montevideo and we have to open the doors for them.
In 2015, the sector generated a turnover of USD 1,068 million among CUTI members alone and exported to 52 countries.
Source: LaRed21
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