NITA-U Celebrates Africa Information and Communications Technology Week with UICT Students

NITA-U celebrated the Africa Information and Communications Technology Week (AICTW) - under the theme ‘’Promoting Pan-Africanism and Africa Renaissance through ICT’.This took place from November 19-24, 2012 under the auspices of the Africa Union Commission.
The aim of AICTW was to provide a constant reflection of the gains Africa has made in harnessing ICT to realize a knowledge-based economy.
During this week a number of activities were done to mark this important event on the ICT calendar.NITA-U held a career guidance session at Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) where NITA-U officials met and interacted freely with the students on 20th November.
The eventful afternoon kicked off with a meeting with the Principal, Eng. Dr. Vincent B.A. Kasangaki, who expressed his desire for long lasting partnerships with ICT government bodies that will work towards empowering institutions that educate and provide skills for the future generation of tomorrow.He commended NITA-U for taking the initiative to come and talk to the youth who aspire to work and change their country through IT.
NITA-U officials had a tour of the impressive IT labs that are well equipped to cater and provide modern IT skills; one of the labs holds a smart board that enables a tutor to hold the same interactive lecture to students in more than one classroom. The students who attend such lectures said that this was an effective and efficient way of learning.
The career guidance session was led by a team of six officials of NITA- U,one of them  an old boy of the school which caused excitement as the young students saw one of their very own, Mr. Richard Obita, a Standards Officer at NITA-U.
The students attentively listened to a presentation from Mr. John Bosco Kavuma on success tips in the IT field that opened their minds on how to make it work with their much needed IT skills in these hard economic times even while still in school and advised them to use their talents and become job creators using their IT skills.
The ICT ladies were in for a treat that afternoon as they had one of their own speak from her heart and give insightful information to the young ladies that attended the session.
Ag, Director Technical Services NITA-U, Ms. Vivian Ddambya said, ‘‘its twice as hard for females to make it in the IT field than men but women are more equipped to succeed, we pay attention to detail, are more dedicated and determined so we only need to work hard and be consistent and we will even be better than men’’ and this had all the young ladies cheering her on!
The session ended on a high note with NITA-U newly appointed Director of Information Security,Mr.Peter Kahiigi who gave facts on how to be make it to the top saying you don’t have to be the smartest student in class but having a vision at an early start, going the extra mile and hard work pays off, he advised the students to take opportunities that come their way very seriously, his jokes had the students laughing and clapping while some had to shy away……or as one would put it…..he hit home!!!
NITA-U supports and works at ensuring that there are many more such collaborations that empower the youth of Uganda with information technology skills and knowledge.