CAIRO: Alcatel-Lucent's training center in Egypt recently became the 20th certified training center within Alcatel-Lucent's global education network. Its mission is to deploy learning and qualification solutions that will enable customers and employees in the Middle East and North and West Africa regions to achieve their strategic business objectives. "The concept developed based on the need to train our personnel as well as personnel of our customers. The training center is mainly technical training, including equipment and products, while the Alcatel-Lucent University has a broader concept, Vincenzo Nesci, Alcatel-Lucent Middle East regional unit president told The Daily Star Egypt. In an inauguration ceremony last month, attended by Minister of Communication and Information Technology Tarek Kamel and industry professionals, Alcatel-Lucent University Egypt became the first Alcatel-Lucent certified university in the Middle East and Africa. "Being part of Alcatel-Lucent University worldwide enables us to leverage best practices from the company's world-class educational expertise and resources around the globe, Nesci said at the inauguration ceremony. Alcatel-Lucent University's global network of 20 training centers are located near its major customers and employee concentrations. Each university is individually accredited as part of a detailed peer review to ensure a consistent, high-quality training experience. By adopting a consultative approach to learning, the university seeks to maximize customer proficiency with Alcatel-Lucent products and solutions, while enabling employees to excel in their current roles and adapt to future job requirements. In addition to training Alcatel-Lucent personnel, as well as their clients, the university has partnerships with several universities. "We have agreements with Cairo University, the French University in Egypt, the National Telecommunications Institute and the Future Generation Foundation and we are committed to delivering tailored or general programs for their students, Nesci said. A recent agreement between Nile University and Alcatel-Lucent entitles the former to use the latter's technical platforms for post-graduate studies. Alcatel-Lucent University in Egypt's teaching staff comprises 14 instructors, each with engineering backgrounds and certified in pedagogical and technical subjects. It is considered an institute of higher education, offering an array of learning opportunities which support clients' current business needs, as well as employees' professional development. "The number of instructors is to increase to 17, and courses are taught in Arabic, English, French and soon in German, Nesci announced. Courses include product, technology, management and non-technical training. Alcatel-Lucent University learning solutions are offered in a wide variety of convenient and cost-efficient formats, including e-learning, virtual/remote learning and classroom-based training. In 2006, the site taught more than 1,800 people at its location in the Smart Village Egypt and at customer sites. Following the 5 million euro expansion, the site - which includes nine training rooms and equipment similar to what is available at the sites trainees will be working at - is expected to teach 2,200 people. Alcatel-Lucent has had a significant presence in Egypt since 1975, when it was chosen by Telecom Egypt, the nationwide incumbent, for the supply and installation of their fixed network. Alcatel-Lucent set up a subsidiary in Egypt in July 1998. Many Egyptian organizations from the world-class operator, Telecom Egypt, to the first private mobile operator, Mobinil, as well as internet service providers and private enterprises operate with Alcatel-Lucent solutions to provide mobile and fixed networks, transmission infrastructure and broadcast services. "In addition to our current projects, we are always looking for new opportunities. We have signed an important contract in Pakistan that we will be managing from here, as well as the Ittihad Etisalat mobile expansion in Saudi Arabia (Mobily) and UAE's Etisalat, Nesci said.
