Catalyzing a New Generation of Learners Through ICT – Ericsson

The future of Knowledge economy lies in investing in the upskilling of the youth and young children in schools. However, it is the case across the world that students are still in need of the skills and competencies necessary to succeed in a knowledge economy, despite being enrolled in formal education.[1] Quality education prepares young people for economic and personal empowerment that positively impacts national economies. Yet, large numbers of learners are failing to have access to skills they need to transition to work and realize opportunities in the information age.

Data from International Labor Organization shows that more than one in five (22.4%) young people aged 1524 were neither in employment, education, or training in 2020. What is more, two out of every three of these (67.5%) are young women, who outnumber men two to one. [2] Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims to address this by ensuring an inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.[3]

Ericssons Connect To Learn program is our global education initiative and partnership with like-minded organizations Supporting Sustainable Development Goal(SDG) 4 aims to ensure inclusive, quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. Connect to Learn supports this ambition by using technology to give those most in need access to quality education.[4] We believe improving educational opportunities is also vital for achieving other sustainable development goals, such as gender equality.

Girls in particular have a much greater chance of improving their quality of life through education, with a World Bank study showing that every year in secondary school correlates with an 18 percent increase in a girls future earning power.[5]

In Oman, we are deploying the Digital skills program as part of Connect To Learn initiative at the Center of Excellence for Advanced Telecommunications technology and IoT (CoE) to inspire the youth into exploring, learning, and choosing careers in STEM. Similarly, providing initiatives that aims to upskill curriculum developers and ICT educators alike, removing traditional barriers of time and space, in addition to enabling schools to cross national and international boundaries.

With this ambition, Ericsson has partnered with number of public, private, and nonprofit organizations working together in support of a quality education and digital inclusion for all. Omans Ministry of Finance, in partnership with Ericsson, has established the Center of Excellence for Advanced Telecommunications technology and IoT (CoE) to provide students, researchers, and startups with access to latest 5G and IoT technologies.[6] As part of the CoE, school students aged 11 to 16 years, will have access to a variety of hands-on learning modules in its Digital Labs benefitting 1,700 students by end of 2023. The program will provide students with the opportunity for practical training by experienced facilitators and help them discover the fun of programming and learn basic digital skills in robotics, electronics, AI, creative coding, and game development. Exposing children to basic ICT concepts can influence career choices for some and convey a basic understanding to many.

Furthermore, in cooperation with the New York Academy of Sciences and in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation we have launched the Junior Academy Program[7] in 2021. The program will give 100 Omani youth between the ages of 13 and 17 the opportunity to receive mentoring and participate in the Internet of Things challenge for virtual innovation. Our target is to give the opportunity to 200 students by 2023 to develop scientific research and innovation skills required to find solutions and build prototypes solving real life problems using IoT. Worth mentioning that since its announcement the program received great local interest from students and parents alike.

Ericsson is also offering new learning experiences by partnering with specialized online learning platforms and enabling access to quality online courses to ICT learners and educators. By the year 2023, 2700 learners will have access to the learning platform. In addition to Ericssons own educational portal Ericsson Educate that aims to upskill senior year university students specializing in technical qualifications.[8]

Education is at the very core of economic development and a key to a bright future. ICT is increasingly at the center of the education process offering new and creative ways to combine classroom experience, home learning, global outreach, and connectivity to the burgeoning world of online learning.

[1] https://www.oecd.org/education/2030/E2030%20Position%20Paper%20(05.04.2018).pdf

[2] https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_737648.pdf

[3] https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4

[4] https://www.ericsson.com/en/about-us/sustainability-and-corporate-responsibility/digital-inclusion/access-to-education

[5] https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2016/04/13/world-bank-group-to-invest-25-billion-in-education-projects-benefiting-adolescent-girls

[6] https://www.ericsson.com/en/press-releases/5/2020/omans-ministry-of-finance-signs-agreement-to-establish-a-center-of-excellence-for-advanced-telecommunications-technology-and-iot-with-ericsson

[7] https://www.nyas.org/programs/global-stem-alliance/the-junior-academy/

[8] https://educate.ericsson.net/

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Catalyzing a New Generation of Learners Through ICT - Ericsson