[kictanet] [Skunkworks] Telecoms firms grapple with talent search

Wed Apr 16 09:42:26 EAT 2008

I think it's simple how these 2 parties can be linked together. The companies can host techie meetings in their premises. Skunkworks already has weekly meetings thanks to Riyaz, Mugambi and the team's great efforts (A round of applause). The companies can invite people to come and give free seminars and training camps to techies. If it's too expensive the companies can collaborate.

In the example about MEST in my original post, they even go further to bring CEOs and other heads of international companies to train/talk these guys in Ghana every quater of the year.

If that article is true and CEOs can't sleep at night coz of talent and talent is 3rd on the list of $afcom's worries then it's relatively easy to fix this.

Talent doesn't grow on trees, it's natured!

On the other hand if both parties aren't committed to this then CEOs can brace themselves for longer nights and techies will struggle harder to polish their skills and outsource them to foreign companies.

Alex Gakuru <alexgakuru.lists at gmail.com> wrote: This is partly why I planned the business (kictanet), skunkworks and CS for next month.
Unfortunately, the guys who responded wanted attendance sponsorship despite it not being a donor-driven meeting. Please suggest to me how technical persons and business could be linked better in a self-sustaining manner.

Thxs 

On Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 12:13 AM, Josiah Mugambi <jmugambi at gmail.com> wrote:
 I think the argument that the article is attempting to bring out is that there's not enough talent to match the demand.

That said, I agree with Wesley's suggestion of bridging the 'two lists' together - there's such a wealth of talent and skill on the skunkworks list. 

On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 11:55 PM, Paul Roy <roykoikai at gmail.com> wrote:
  Guys nothing compares to talent, youve got it or you simply dont have it...the only sad part is that our employers dont know how to do a talent search they think the best papers are the most talented...pole sana!

 Let them look at how global software giants hire and they will never complain about luck of talent in this market.

 BTW: global software companies come to africa to source for talent guess what, kenya dominates the list.

 cheers!

 On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 7:31 PM, Athar Ahmad Bhatti <atharab at gmail.com> wrote:
  Hi 

 It is an interesting article. 

 The dilemma is as good as putting the cart before the horse and expecting things to work out. How many of these firms have a CIO/CTO ?

 Most Kenyan businesses have an IT Manager reporting to an Accountant or Finance person. I do not know the case with the mentioned companies. Technology is the bridge between a company's Strategic Objectives and their Operational implemention on the ground. 

 If you want to retain staff give them a career plan and have the good manners of living up to promises. How many of us have heard the story,"We will start you on "x" and then later on after probation give "y". Many don' even get confirmation letters. HR is a rubber stamp.

 It all boils down to integrity. I would feel its not too much to say that the overall integrity of a company is determined by the retention of its staff.... 

 Athar

  On 4/15/08, wesley kiriinya <kiriinya2000 at yahoo.com> wrote: 

  I can't blame those who try to do a lot and end up becoming a jack of trades and a master of none. I think people feel insecure about jobs. There's not enough info out there about jobs e.g:
   1. What are the job statistics in Kenya? I think the bureau of statistics has them but are they made public well?
2. Which areas have future potential and how many people are likely to be absorbed?
3. What is the growth and direction in current industries so that Kenyans can arm themselves with the specific skills and tools?

The education system sadly encourages this lack of specialization. Why should I do English and Kiswahili as a must? They are both languages and they follow the same structure. To be a specialist I think one has to UNDERSTAND the subject matter and not cram as what the education system makes students do. Understanding requires a lot more effort and time!

I think if one tries to quickly train someone in order to take up a job that requires certain skills then it will be expensive. Training and experience is a gradual process, and thus can be cheaper in the long run. If a company takes someone at 20 years s/he will not have a lot of experience but the company can gradually train and when that person is 30 then they have a lot more experience. It surely beats getting a 29 year old who has been jobless from the time they were 20 and train them quickly.

How much does CCNA and all these other certifications cost? I'm sure it ain't cheap and I don't think someone would just do them with little chance of getting a job, it might be a wasted investment.

   If companies want skilled people they should be ready to train and treat them well. Because this doesn't seem to be happening as it should employees are insecure, and companies loose skilled people. In the long run both parties suffer.  

Ochieng Maxwell <maxwell at barua.co.ke> wrote:  ashok+skunkworks at parliaments.info wrote:

>On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 3:02 PM, Gituma Nturibi wrote:
   > 
>
>>there is no shortage of the skilled manpower just people with the
>> requisite experience as training new personnel costs a lot,
>> 
>>
>
>I think this question of there being a shortage / no shortage depends on what
   >kind of skills you are looking for.
>
>Sometime ago i had repeatedly posted for an open vacancy in our organization
>and gotten a very low response.
> 
>
the problem is Kenyans almost try and do everything just to land a job 
   and in the process being good at nothing and therefore the shortage of 
skills, the few who are there getting them is another story.

Maxwell

>ashok
>
>
>_______________________________________________
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>
>
> 
   >

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-- 
"Change is slow and gradual. It requires hardwork, a bit of
luck, a fair amount of self-sacrifice and a lot of patience."

Roy.   
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