Oracle, LASG deepens partnership on technology talent drive

Oracle Corporation, United States (US) based technology firm, with market capitalisation of $183.62 billion (May 8, 2014), and the Lagos State Government (LASG) is taking a three pronged approach to boosting the Information Technology (IT) skills pool in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy. Both entities at the weekend flagged off three Information Technology (IT) Human Capacity talent building programmes which will further promote the state’s objective to deliver services to the citizens more effectively. Adebiyi Mabadeje, commissioner for science and technology, in his keynote address to participants at the workshop organised by the state’s Financial and Management Bureau, said that the three programmes of Employee Readiness, Youth Readiness, and Workforce Development are the areas in which the state government will collaborate with Oracle to achieve laid out objectives.

One of such objectives, according to him, is to enrich and equip existing talents amongst government employees with Oracle skills to support strategic IT projects. The programme, Mabadeje added the state seeks to leverage on the expertise of Oracle’s Public Sector Centre of Excellence to run workshops for top Information officers of MDAs (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) on best practices, market trends and business solutions on topics such as improving service delivery to the citizens using social media. In addition, the programme is also aimed at training graduates under the workforce development programme on Oracle Database or Oracle e-Business suite for the acquisition of industry-relevant skills and opportunities for internships within some of the state’s ministries.

In his address to the participants, the Country Managing Director of Oracle Nigeria, Adebayo Sanni, said that these Programmes assist in tackling the challenges of human capacity and effectively boost economic development in a fast growing economy like Nigeria. According to him, the programme seeks to introduce industry-relevant computer science and Oracle courseware into the curricula of universities and public high schools.

In her welcome address, Nike Animashaun, permanent secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, said that the collaboration with Oracle was in line with the continuous capacity building programme of the administration of the Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), to revolutionise how public servants interact and render services to the citizens.

Sanni alo said that Oracle’s goal is getting the youths interested in Computer Science, driving change in ICT syllabi and thereby helping the governments at all levels to future-proof their economies for growth and job creation. He disclosed that Oracle was proud to collaborate with the state government because of the commitment it showed in investing in its own internal Oracle skills and developing ICT talents in the state. Sanni said that the Oracle Academy is working with Oracle Academy members Lagos State Polytechnic, Lagos State University and the University of Lagos to support the inclusion of industry-relevant content in their Computer Science programmes and to deliver Oracle database training for university lecturers.

Ben Uzor Jr