GSM Academy opens in Germany Training opportunities for African technicians Website: www.topbusinessag.com/e/training/wireless/gsmacademy.php <http://www.topbusinessag.com/e/training/wireless/gsmacademy.php By Femi Awoniyi Mobile telecommunications is currently enjoying a boom all over Africa. However, because technicians are in short supply, millions of dollars are paid every year to foreign specialists who work in the sector. A German training and consulting company, TOP Business AG, has introduced a human resource development programme, the GSM Academy, specifically to train skilled manpower for the African mobile telecommunications sector. The GSM Academy consists of an intensive three-month training at TOP Business AG's training centre and a 6 month-practical attachment with a network operator in Europe. The company, which has 15 years of experience in global mobile infrastructure education, trains workers for reputable companies such as Alcatel, Ericsson, Nokia, Nortel and Orange. The GSM Academy, which is based on efficient knowledge transfer, will train students to become BSS Operation & Maintenance Specialists, who will be equipped with the knowledge and practical experience, "with all the competence you need to start off work immediately", with a GSM Network Operator in Africa. Those who successfully undergo the training can be sure of finding a good job after graduation because their skills are in short supply in most African countries. What's more, technicians in mobile telecommunications are enjoying far higher wages than workers in most other industries. "There are so many positions available that people have a choice," says an assistant manager with a recruiting company in Lagos. Graduates of the Academy will also be able to become self-employed by setting up handset repair shops, for example. The GSM course, which normally costs 30,000 euros per trainee, is being offered to Africans for only 4,500 euros, as it is subsidized by international organisations in line with the new philosophy of development assistance, which puts priority on the training of skilled manpower for Africa. This will help the continent conserve foreign exchange it otherwise spends on foreign experts who are said to take billions of dollars out of the continent every year. According to Bernhard Kuhn, Vice President - Telecommunication Networks Training & Consulting, at TOP Business AG, "well trained professionals have better chances to get a job or improve their career. And as we can see these people as a knowledge kernel can multiply the specific know-how with their daily work". The GSM Academy is appropriate for candidates, who must have had education and/or training in electronics. Accommodation, health insurance and feeding of the participants will be provided for the duration of the school course. However trainees will be expected to meet their transport and other living expenses. Only 32 participants will be admitted for the first course and it will be on first-come, first-served basis. TOP Business AG will organise visa and other travel formalities for participants. All participants are required to return to their home countries after the successful completion of the course, which will commence on 2 October 2006. More information about the GSM Academy may be obtained from TOP Business AG Mr Bernhard Kuhn Klingenhofstrasse 58 D-90411 Nuremberg Germany Phone: 0049 - 911 95117-300 Mobile: 0049 - 177 3313805 Fax: 0049 - 911 95117-309 E-mail: bernhard.kuhn@topbusinessag.com <mailto:bernhard.kuhn@topbusinessag.com Website: www.topbusinessag.com/e/training/wireless/gsmacademy.php <http://www.topbusinessag.com/e/training/wireless/gsmacademy.php ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Yahoo! Mail réinvente le mail !* Découvrez le nouveau Yahoo! Mail <http://fr.rd.yahoo.com/evt=40577/*http://fr.promotions.yahoo.com/mail/nouvea... et son interface révolutionnaire.
Hi all, apologies for those who may have access to this but evident from the emails I get many more do not so I hope this benefits some....but why are most opportunties for media and journalists....aren't you a lucky lot! Source is 'The Drum Beat'. Best, Nyaki AWARDS http://www.comminit.com/awards2006.html 1. Panos Institute West Africa: ICT Media Production Contest Recognises print articles or a radio production on the theme 'ICT, Democratic Governance and Development in West and Central Africa.' Print and broadcast media journalists from the region may apply for consideration for one of the four prizes of F CFA 500,000 to 1,000,000. Deadline: May 18 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1408.html 2. EADI Prize for Development Studies 2006 Awarded by the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) for an essay exploring an issue of development studies in any field of social sciences. Postgraduate students from an EADI member country or attending a programme at an institutional member of the Association are invited to submit essays of between 5,000 and 7,000 words for consideration for the EUR 1,000 prize. Deadline: May 31 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1371.html 3. Reebok Human Rights Award Recognises young activists who have made significant contributions to human rights causes directly relating to the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights through non-violent means. Honourees, who must be 30 years of age or younger by December 31 2006, receive a US$50,000 grant from the Reebok Human Rights Foundation to further their work. Deadline: May 31 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1401.html 4. Forum 10 Essay Competition Awarded for an essay by a young professional working in or interested in health research on some aspect of the overall theme of Forum 10: 'Combating Disease and Promoting Health.' The winning essay will be published on the Lancet website and its author invited to take part in Forum 10 in Cairo, Egypt, with all expenses paid. Deadline: June 1 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1365.html 5. World of Children Awards Recognises ordinary people worldwide whose lives are dedicated to doing extraordinary work on behalf of children in three categories: World of Children Health Award; World of Children Humanitarian Award; and the Founder's Award. The first two award winners will receive US$50,000 Awards; the winner of the Founder's Award will receive US$15,000. Deadline: June 9 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1409.html 6. Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism Spotlights emerging models of journalism that creatively use new information ideas and technologies to engage and educate people about public issues. Entries could include online news experiences, news games, novel uses of cell phones, web cams, iPods, computer kiosks, new uses of software, content management systems, or other advances in interactive or participatory journalism. The Awards will include a US$10,000 Grand Prize and up to US$5,000 in Special Distinction Awards to be given at the judges' discretion. Deadline: June 15 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1405.html 7. Euro-Med Journalist Prize for Cultural Diversity Open to journalists between the ages of 25 and 35 who work for print or online media, the Prize aims to promote better understanding of the diversity of cultures in the Euro-Mediterranean region. Award winners, two selected from Europe and two from the Mediterranean, will be invited on a guided tour of four countries to explore and report on issues of cultural dialogue and diversity. Deadline: June 20 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1412.html 8. Communication Award for Effective Communication Between Health Care Professionals and Patients Recognises effective communication between the medical profession and patients in the United Kingdom. The submission must demonstrate enhanced mutual understanding between patients and health care professionals, and should describe work which could be widely adopted for the benefit of patients. The winner will receive £10,000, half of which is paid directly to the individual or team members and half of which will be used to further the award winner's study in the field of medical research. Deadline: July 3 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1406.html *** Recommend Conflict Websites The Institute of Development Studies - http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?r=http://www.ids.ac.uk/ids/ - is publishing a pocket-sized guide to help people find some of the best websites on a wide range of development issues. They are requesting help to select 5 favourite websites about the issue of conflict. Send no more than 150 words indicating what you use the website for and why you recommend it. If your entry is chosen, it will be credited to you and you will receive 5 free copies of the book to share with your colleagues and friends. Send your nominations to g.hurst@ids.ac.uk by May 19 2006. *** 9. 1325 Award Honours an individual or a civil society organisation in a conflict country or region that has developed groundbreaking and effective initiatives to promote the rights of women and to increase their participation at decision-making levels in peace processes. Winners will receive a sum of EUR 15,000 and a work of art made for the occasion, as well as a tour through the Netherlands to present their work to a variety of diverse audiences. Deadline: July 15 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1413.html 10. Third Coast Festival / Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition Honours the best audio documentary and feature work produced around the world (in English). Organisers seek stories that document a place, time, person, event, phenomenon or issue. Winners receive monetary prizes of up to US$6,000 and their programmes will air nationally in the fall as part of the 2006 Third Coast Festival Broadcast. Deadline: July 21 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1411.html 11. Global Junior Challenge Award 2006 Rewards best practices related to the use of new technologies in education and training of young people. The competition is open to schools and universities, public and private institutions, non-profit and youth associations, large and small companies, research centres, and individuals of any age. Deadline: July 31 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1386.html 12. Award for Children's Science News Recognises excellence in reporting about science for children, including young teens. The award is open to journalists worldwide for work distributed via any medium - print, broadcast or online. The awards will be presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting in San Francisco in February 2007. The award for each category is US$3,000. Deadline: August 1 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1402.html 13. International Freedom to Publish Prize The prize, worth CHF 5,000 (US$3,900), recognises individuals and organisations who have made a notable contribution to the defense and promotion of the freedom to publish anywhere in the world. The prize will be presented at the 2006 Göteborg Book Fair in September 2006 in Göteborg, Sweden. The main theme of the book fair will be freedom of expression. Deadline: August 1 2006 http://www.comminit.com/awards2006/awards2006/awards-1322.html FELLOWSHIPS http://www.comminit.com/funding2006.html#funding2006fellowships 14. Transitional Justice Fellowship Program Brings together 12 professionals from select countries to Cape Town, South Africa for three months to explore strategies to be used following a period of conflict or repressive rule in order to bring about a more just society. Fellows receive accommodations and financial support to pay for modest daily expenses during the fellowship period, including food, transportation, and entertainment. Deadline: June 1 2006 http://www.comminit.com/funding2006/fellowships2006/funding-33.html 15. Senior International Fellows Programme Provides an opportunity for the professional development of third-sector practitioners from outside the United States who are decision-makers in their professions. Fellows will participate in a 1-month seminar on the U.S. and international voluntary sectors at The Graduate Center of The City University of New York in the United States. Each fellowship covers the cost of tuition, accommodation, round-trip air tickets; a US$1,300 stipend is provided to cover living expenses. Deadline: June 1 2006 http://www.comminit.com/funding2006/fellowships2006/funding-32.html 16. Clive Menell Fellowships 2006 Provides an opportunity for two mid-career or senior South African journalists to participate in a three-week programme of discussion and study on international media issues. A series of seminars led by journalists, scholars and key policy makers will focus on issues such as journalism and media, public policy, economics, international relations, environmental affairs and new media technologies. Deadline: August 1 2006 http://www.comminit.com/funding2006/fellowships2006/awards-1392.html *** Please participate in our PULSE POLL http://www.comminit.com/pulse.html Do you agree or disagree? The ABC (Abstain, Be faithful, use a Condom) approach has been a disaster in Africa. [For context, please see http://www.comminit.com/drum_beat_345.html] VOTE and COMMENT - http://www.comminit.com/pulse.html *** JOIN A DISCUSSION on the above topic - see http://www.comminit.com/majordomo/drumbeatchat/maillist.html for archives. Send your contributions to drumbeatchat@comminit.com *** GRANTS http://www.comminit.com/funding2006.html#funding2006grants 17. Pan American Health and Education Foundation 2006 Small Grants Program Supports innovative, results-oriented projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, such as operations research, teaching, the development of protocols, or related approaches to solving health problems. Two priority health areas during 2005-2006 are enhancing infection control practices in health-care settings, and improving the health of indigenous peoples. Project grants are in the US$5,000 to $25,000 range. Deadline: June 1 2006 http://www.comminit.com/funding2006/grants2006/funding-21.html 18. Hivos Fund Provides financial and political support for specific programme activities or for organisational operations in more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and South-Eastern Europe. Focus areas include economy, environment & sustainable development, human rights, HIV/AIDS, gender, arts, and information and communication technology. Deadline: Rolling deadline http://www.comminit.com/funding2006/grants2006/funding-28.html 19. Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) Supports projects that are both national and regional in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Programmes broadly focus on education, media, information and communication technology (ICT), human rights and democracy. Deadline: Rolling deadline http://www.comminit.com/funding2006/grants2006/funding-19.html SCHOLARSHIPS http://www.comminit.com/funding2006.html#funding2006scholarships 20. AIDS 2006 Media Scholarship Provides a limited number of scholarships to media representatives from around the world to attend the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto from August 13 to 18 2006. The aim is to facilitate the attendance, and subsequent conference coverage, of journalists from predominantly resource-poor settings. Deadline: May 15 2006 http://www.comminit.com/funding2006/scholarships2006/funding-34.html 21. Peace and Reconciliation Studies Scholarship Eight scholarships are being offered to non-European Union students to attend the one-year Master's programme in Peace and Reconciliation Studies at Coventry University in England. The scholarship will cover the tuition fees, valued at £8500; recipients will be responsible for securing funds for subsistence and accommodation. Deadline: June 1 2006 http://www.comminit.com/funding2006/scholarships2006/funding-30.html 22. Peace through Health Travelling Studentships Designed to support students in undertaking a research project relating to peace through health. Two students, one Canadian and one from another county, will receive CDN $2,500 to support travel or living expenses when the student is away or can be used towards the costs of the project. Deadline: July 1 2006 (annually) http://www.comminit.com/funding2006/scholarships2005/awards-1195.html 23. Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Scholarships Assists individual media practitioners from Southern Africa in all areas of the media (managerial, editorial, advertising, and technical) to work on attachment in another media institution to learn new skills and develop existing ones. Individuals who are involved in human rights organisations in a media capacity may also be considered. Deadline: Rolling deadline http://www.comminit.com/funding2006/scholarships2006/funding-24.html *** This issue was written by Deborah Walter. *** The Drum Beat is the email and web network of The Communication Initiative Partnership - ANDI, BBC World Service Trust, Bernard van Leer Foundation, Calandria, CFSC Consortium, The Change Project, CIDA, DFID, FAO, Fundacion Nuevo Periodismo, Ford Foundation, Healthlink Worldwide, Inter-American Development Bank, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs, MISA, OneWorld, PAHO, The Panos Institute, The Rockefeller Foundation, SAfAIDS, Sesame Workshop, Soul City, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNICEF, USAID, WHO, W.K. Kellogg Foundation. *** The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners. Please send material for The Drum Beat to the Editor - Deborah Heimann dheimann@comminit.com To reproduce any portion of The Drum Beat, see http://www.comminit.com/help.html#copyright for our policy. --------------------------------- Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less.
participants (2)
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Catherine Adeya -
Dorcas Muthoni