Project information

StatusFinalist
URLGo to website
CategoryEconomic Development
CountryUganda
Operational areasUrban, Rural
Target groupsChildren, Youth, Women, Men, Seniors
Fixed connectionDSL, IDSN, Cable
Wireless connectionWiFi, WiMax, GSM, CDMA , n/a
Access pointsGovernment office, Business, Home, School, Telecenter, Cafe, Payphone
InteractLandline Phone, Desktop Computer, Cellphone, Laptop
Software License TypesProprietary

Project location

Random images Challenge 2008

Electronics Technicians Association

  • Brief description
  • Competent electronics technicians plus Information and Communications Technology (ICT) human resources are crucial factors in sustaining and optimizing ICT4D if Uganda’s millennium development goals are to be met; the national association represents electronics technicians; it makes use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to empower electronics Technicians to be professionals and to be the best in their profession through training, accessibility and information, while at the same time protecting ICT consumers and consulting policy makers and ICT for development initiatives and firms in an effort to maximize the benefits of ICT and Electronics Technologies in all sectors of life.
  • Vision, Objectives and Goals
  • The electronics industry is the most rapidly changing industry in the world. It has evolved from tube technology, then transistor and finally micro chips. So too are the electronics consumers’ demands, and the need for technicians to always keep up to date with the technological changes. While the older technology served virtually the same function as the newer solid state technologies, the methods, theories and actual operations of each radically differ, one is not an improved version of the other. With the evolution of new technologies and emergency of new technology manufacturers, service literature has become a challenge. It is quite possible and very common for a service technician to have several years of experience, be a top expert in tube technology, and yet be a complete loss on servicing solid state devices. All of his experience and ability is outdated and rendered useless by a new way. Some technicians have managed to adapt to newer technologies but many have failed. This has caused a severe problem in the industry, the problem of finding good, qualified and up to date electronics technicians; yet it is quite common to also find customer care representatives of ICT firms lacking basic operational principles of electronics equipment they sell or use. Competent electronics technicians plus Information and Communications Technology (ICT) human resources are crucial factors in sustaining and optimizing ICT4D if Uganda’s millennium development goals are to be met. The objectives of the association are; ? To help government build a sustainable technological human resource for ICT4D support. ? To Provide an opportunity for the exchange of experiences and opinions through discussions, study and publication. ? To conduct basic electronics training for persons serving or desiring to serve as customer care representatives of ICT firms. ? To mobilize technical equipment from resourceful workshops in developed nations for use by the local student technician chapters in Universities and technical colleges. ? Promote the arts and sciences of electronics technology and to educate the members of the public in the advancement, improvement, and uses of the services of electronics technicians. ? To contribute to, administer and expand a global CERTIFIED ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN (CET) program of testing and registration for technicians in Uganda (CET is offered by the Electronics Technicians Association International, it comprises of computer and software, wireless communication, Cellular, audio/video distribution, data cabling, networking, satellite installation, E-commerce, Fiber Optic, Radar, Industrial, Telecommunications, Consumer electronics, Biomedical, Avionics ). ? To conduct and cooperate in courses of study for the benefit of technicians desiring to fit themselves for advanced work in the electronics industry and to conduct meetings, workshops, conferences, online discussions, press releases, etc.. for the mutual benefit and education of members. ? To acquire, preserve, and disseminate data and valuable information relative to the field of electronics. ? To work with Government, Universities, Manufacturers, local and regional groups of associations of technicians, information networks and or to engage in other activities to promote the advancement of the electronics technician profession. ? To develop training and behavior standards for technicians and allied personnel, and to work with other groups towards improved entry and advanced training programs and higher standards of competency, skills and efficiency. ? To serve as a model transferable to other nations. ? To provide business training to electronics technicians. ? To establish divisions of this organization which serve specialized segments of the electronics technician profession. Names of the current divisions are; ? The electronics educator’s division ? The certified technician division ? The communication division ? The shop owner’s division ? The satellite dealer’s association ? The cabling division ? Industrial Division While the association is chaired by a National chairperson, a technician by profession, who works hand in hand with Electronics Divisions chairpersons; Divisions such as Shop Owner’s Division, Satellite Dealer’s Association and Electronics Educator’s Division help the association to work closely with ICT firms. Student chapters created at 3 Universities 2 public and 1 private provide an opportunity for the association to link up with universities and to supplement to the study needs of student technicians through publications, technical discussions, industrial training, training videos, books, etc. while identifying key gaps that need to be addressed. Leadership skills have been and are being built amongst technician students as they have to vote for a chapter chairperson, treasurer and secretary. These chapter administrators are also tasked and aided in making monthly and annual reports of their chapters. A design meant to ensure that the Association keeps in touch with key policy makers, government’s development partners, educational institutions and private sector has been incorporated as described below; 1. Top administrative structure is comprising of a President, a position constitutionally occupied by a top Government official in charge of Information and Communications Technology. 2. The project patron vacancy is constitutionally occupied by a top official from a renowned donor agency in the ICT sector, Research Partnerships. In April 2007, project initiated a research program aimed at finding the actual statistics of ICT technician professionals rendered useless or incompetent by the rapidly changing electronics technology; what and how best technology is being put to use; the cost of utilizing the technology against the available budgets in public administration. The program also seeks to identify competent individuals with on job experience in the electronics technology sector, but with no certifications relevant to the ICT sector, then design exam only certification programs geared towards transforming them into certified professionals. Certification seeks to provide them with a foundation for their entry into the professional association and the eventual upgrade to diploma and degree training. Research is to be conducted in government’s public departments and the private sector, to identify statistical data related to the labor shortages. An agreement to this effect has been signed between the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and the Ministry in charge of Information and Communications Technology, while funding is being sought to implement the research work. The purpose of the research work is to come up with budget friendly technology recommendations for public procurement and to design ICT certification programs tailored to the exact individual needs of the local ICT technicians at work place. Certification will be carried out hand in hand with Electronics Technicians Association International (ETA-I) a member of the International Certification Accreditation Committee. ETA-I has over 20 years of ICT and electronics certification exams design & testing.
  • How does ICT contribute to the organisational objectives
  • The national association that is administered from a workshop premise, runs on a small but cost effective budget as ICT is utilized to deliver distant cost effective and timely solutions, ranging from training, communication, conferencing, reporting, shopping, etc. as presented below;  Yahoo messenger has been installed at the project workshop providing distant instant online chat sessions with over 3000 technician workshops in Australia and New Zealand over technical issues delivering instant solutions to local technicians.  An online jobs program is available as part of our mailing list to match technicians and employers, the same jobs program offers monthly online tips on how to write your resume, what to expect from interviews, how to write reports for those employed, writing business proposals, work plans, financial management, human resource management, and other related issues deemed relevant to technician professional development.  An online database of technician resumes is being incorporated into the association’s website.  Technician Certification courses offered comprising of computer and software, wireless communication, Cellular, audio/video distribution, data cabling, networking, satellite installation, E-commerce, Fiber Optic, Radar, Industrial, Telecommunications, Consumer electronics, Biomedical, Avionics are supplemented by DVDs/CDs and Videos.  Local technicians desiring to procure for institutions to get instant access to affordable products and spares, as one message can instantly be responded to by more than 20 shops, thus providing more options and protecting electronics consumers.  Local member electronics Shops, University computer labs, computer labs for government ministries and NGOs with permanent internet access make use of yahoo messengers to deliver instant requests amongst themselves and to technician workshops and vice versa.  A technical help line is available at the workshop to help technicians, corporate institutions and electronics consumers seeking immediate solutions.  The project website is utilized as a tool for mobilization of the local technician community to take part in its programs nationwide.  Its mailing list and mailing lists of other affiliate associations in USA, Australia, New Zealand plus online discussion forums are utilized for exchange of experiences, notices, reports and opinions, on technical problems of individual technicians thus delivering instant technical solutions.  Cheap Online Video Conferences are utilized to organize meetings and international conferences with international partners.  A Compact Disk holding information about 100,000 technical problems faced with technicians involved in the repair of TVs, Radios, Monitors, has been compiled and is being utilized by consumer electronics technicians who don’t have internet access.  SMS are utilized to help mobilize local technicians for local conferences.  University students’ chapters Nationwide receive online supplementary technical information via mailing lists.  The project ICT workshop is a source of industrial training for member technicians.  The project makes use of a digital camera, to capture and document videos on going complex works such as fiber optics installations, satellite receiver installations, etc. then utilize them as a learning resource by technicians.  Details of discussions in our mailing lists are utilized to make a qualitative report on the association’s effects on its target groups.
  • Transferability
  • Electronics Technicians and ICT people in any nation just need to network, the challenges are definitely there that can only be addressed via a technicians' network.
  • Project summary
  • The project is a national association which is also serving as a local chapter for Electronics Technicians Association International - USA where it runs and administers a registration and certification program for local technicians, it also subscribes to electronics manufacturers’ mailing lists and works hand in hand with resourceful Electronics Technicians Associations of Australia and New Zealand to maximize human expertise and learning opportunities of local technicians. Its certification programs cover are utilised to empower ICT and electronics Technicians. Coordination of its activities is done from a fully equipped self sustaining National workshop premise which is accessible at a small fee by local member technicians for purposes of its maintenance and covering operational costs. Many working & student technicians, electronics shops and communications firms both urban and rural that realized the need to open up e-mail accounts and subscribe to its technical forum recieve timely technical solutions. Using ICT, It has networked with several international resourceful associations creating a network rich with human resource which has in return enabled it to get donations for workshop equipment as redundant learning and reference equipment for use in the workshop is donated off from communication sites, stores, shops & industries. The project seeks information about key installations to be undertaken by communications and ICT firms in Uganda, such as installation of optic fiber, boosters, radio transmitters, filters, radars, computer networks, etc. and volunteers interested members to provide technical support as they learn and document their work by text or video. Through its online jobs program and technical forum, Resumes of technicians are filed while a jobs program is run to find matching industrial training and employment opportunities for technicians, Fake consumer products on the market are blacklisted plus unreliable and quark technicians. Technicians’ interests and views are presented to government and international manufacturers. It has successfully conducted job interviews for local firms desiring to hire competent technicians; addressed problems with regard to complex service literature from manufacturers; complex technical problems of communications firms and where necessary furthered them to the international electronics technicians association, thus maximizing consumer benefits. Training Videos and CDs are utilised to supplement on the following courses offered;  Certified training in basic electronics is available to customer care specialists of ICT and communications firms to enable them understand the basic operational characteristics of electronic equipment.  Certified Training in business administration is also offered to technicians to enable them develop their businesses.  Certified exams in all areas of ICT and electronics divisions (communication, radar, computer, satellite, biomedical, industrial, alarm security, marine radio etc.)