28th January 2012 – One of the human capacity building initiatives undertaken by the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) is the ICT Competency Program. The program, which currently has two phases is being conducted in collaboration with four (4) appointed local training institutions since 2009 and is expected to end in February 2013.

The ICT Competency Program is a program that offers subsidized training courses to train the local citizens with the relevant ICT skills and knowledge, empower the non-ICT job seekers with basic IT literacy, and upgrade SMEs’ employees with professional ICT certifications.

AITI is providing a minimum subsidy of 50% of the training fees to the participants subject to terms and conditions. These subsidies will be provided upon successful completion of the course. To be eligible for the training, participants must be Brunei citizens or permanent residents working in non-government agencies such as registered local SMEs or any member of the public above 17 years of age who is seeking for a job. The participants can either opt for full-time or part-time courses depending on the training package offered. 

Currently, there are sixteen (16) training courses being offered namely:

AITI is also collaborating with the Community Development Department (JAPEM) to identify selected participants under the underprivileged group for a full subsidy for the IC3 certification. This initiative will help to increase the ICT literacy amongst this group who are keen to expand their ICT knowledge and proficiency as well as minimizing the digital divide in our pursuit to become a sophisticated society.  

IC CITIZEN Certification is the first of its kind in the world that promotes appropriate use of technology, in response to the growing need to raise a generation of responsible and safe digital citizens.  With this certification training, the participants will have an in-depth understanding and knowledge on how to become responsible Internet users and consecutively make good etiquette part of their digital culture.  Individuals who have IC3 certification, they are the likely candidates for the IC Citizen Training and Certification, which will be fully subsidized by AITI.

To date, there are more than 500 participants trained and certified with various ICT courses offered under this program. AITI hopes that with the availability of the ICT Competency Program, the participants would take up this opportunity to broaden their ICT knowledge and skills so that they can become more marketable and competent to secure jobs and produce ICT professionals inorder to cater for the industry’s challenging needs.