By PETER KORUGL
TELIKOM PNG Ltd, currently at war with competitors to retain its market in Papua New Guinea, is positioning itself to provide the manpower needs of the telecommunication industry.
This was highlighted during the 20th graduation ceremony where more than 200 students from the Telikom Training College in Lae graduated with certificates and diplomas in telecommunication systems and networking.
Acting head of the college Luke Tikirie said: “Telikom Training College in association with Telikom PNG is committed in skills training for future telecommunication industry work force.
“In addition, the retraining of current and former Telikom work force is an import aspect of the training activities.”
Mr Tikirie said the training package offered by the college was aimed at filling the skill and knowledge gap in the “ever-changing business and technological environment in which challenges can no longer be ignored.”
He said the courses offered were internationally recognised and they were taught by people who had the accreditation by the National Training Council.
Mr Tikirie said the new facilities were added to the college in the last few weeks in line with the Telikom PNG business activities to improve and expand its services to our communities.
Telikom installed a new integrated PABX communication system to cater for small and medium size business.
The system provides the state of art communication server, an advance Internet Protocol (IP) telephone and Local Area Network (LAN) switching ensuring high speed internet access.
It also installed a flexible digital radio system to cater for wireless network that enable the user point to point digital access for high performance internet, voice and data transmission.
The telecommunication leader also installed a Gilat VSAT, providing voice circuits and internet access in remote areas of Papua New Guinea, a broadband for internet protocol broadband access and a new advance point to point digital microwave access system for all distances for mobile and fixed (land) network access.
“Plans are in place for further improvement and additions to the product and service training at the college. The college will develop training courses on the latest technology equipment and train Telikom staff nationwide.
“These products will also be marketed for external clients,” Mr Tikirie said.
He said new courses would be introduced to meet market demand in human resource and allow those employed in the industry to further their qualifications.