FOSTERING cooperation between the ICT sectors in Myanmar and Japan could bring many advantages to both countries, the president of the Myanmar Computer Federation, U Thein Oo, said earlier this month.

“We recognise that Myanmar and Japan can cooperate and coordinate very fruitfully in ICT. There are several things we can do together for mutual benefit,” U Thein Oo said.

The key to effective cooperation was ICT engineers serving as a bridge between the two countries, he said.

U Thein Oo was speaking at a closing ceremony of a training course on fundamental IT engineering organised by the Japan-based Association for Overseas Technical Scholarships and the federation at Myanmar Info-Tech.

The six-week course ending on November 4 was part of an assistance program provided by the association, in coordination with the federation, to help build human resources capacity in Myanmar’s ICT sector.

About 30 participants completed the course, bringing to about 700 the number of people who have undertaken ICT training provided under the program at Myanmar Info-Tech’s learning centre.

U Thein Oo said human resources development was a key to the successful growth of the ICT sector, which was vital for social and economic development.
“Japan is the main country supporting our human resource development efforts,” he said.

As well as the association, Japan’s Centre for International Cooperation on Computerisation and its Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry were also assisting the development of Myanmar’s ICT sector, mainly in capacity building.

U Thein Oo urged Myanmar ICT students to work hard to build their knowledge and skills.

“When we are talking about ICT engineers, I think the level of effort we are putting into learning, study and work is still very low compared to other countries,” he said.

U Thein Oo said ICT students tended to rely too heavily on training and after their courses were completed they stopped learning.

To become good ICT engineers, students needed to work hard to continually expand the knowledge and skills they acquired in training courses, he said.
“No training courses will make you a qualified ICT professional,” U Thein Oo said.

Mr Hideo Yoshihara, the association’s representative for ASEAN and South Asia, told the ceremony that expanding the number of skilled ICT engineers was vital because of the sector’s role in national development.

Mr Yoshihara urged the course participants to further the development of their careers by applying what they had learned and continuing their studies. He also exhosted the students to become actively involved in contributing to the sector’s development.