IBM
Launch of Master the Mainframe Contest
IBM is launching Master the Mainframe contest to universities between April 1st and May 29th 2015.
Master the Mainframe is an exciting opportunity for students to gain real-world experience using enterprise computing skills. Hosted at high schools, colleges and universities all over the world, this unique mainframe computing contest is designed to equip students with mainframe
knowledge, and challenge their skills in a hands-on coding experience.
To compete in the Master the Mainframe contest, no experience with mainframes is necessary. In fact, the contest is designed for students with little or no mainframe experience. Students just need to bring drive and competitive spirit, and they will be ready to compete.
Prizes
IBM is offering a number of prizes to students at the different stages of the contest:
– Backpacks
– Bluetooth headsets, speakers and
– Smart phones
– All paid expense trips to IBM MEA HQ in Dubai and IBM USA
– Career edge and visibility to IBM mainframe clients across key industries
Important Details
- Students can register on this link
- For more inquireis please send an email here
- Please find here few slides explaining the contest:
Remember to share this information with your friends
IBM Great Minds Student Internships 2015
What is it?
The Great Minds initiative is a competition for 3 to 6-month internships at one of the IBM Research Labs in Zurich or Dublin for students from central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It provides students with the unique opportunity to work alongside world-class scientists in the leading industrial IT research organization.
The internships will take place in 2015. The exact starting time and duration will be agreed upon with the winning students individually, taking into account their academic commitments and the availability of IBM staff. IBM will pay the winners a lump sum towards travel expenses as well as compensation that covers adequately the cost of living in Switzerland or Ireland, respectively. IBM will also obtain the necessary visa and work permits for the successful candidates.
IBM Research is conducting the Great Minds internships for the seventh time. The experiences on both sides have been very positive. This program also benefits faculty members when the Great Minds winners bring back to their universities or departments a valuable understanding of real industry problems, knowledge of advanced IBM technologies, and contacts throughout IBM Research.
Eligibility
The program is open to any full-time student enrolled in a Master’s program in
- Computer Science,
- Electrical Engineering,
- Physics,
- Software Engineering,
- Industrial Engineering or
- Service Science
at a recognized university in central or eastern Europe, the Middle East or Africa. The students must have a solid command of the English language in both written and spoken form.
IBM is an equal-opportunity employer and encourages applications from both genders as well as minority groups. We would especially like to encourage qualified women to participate in this competition.
The Nomination procedure
Participants must be nominated by a faculty member. A recommendation letter from a faculty member is mandatory.
What else you need to know:-
Duration: 3-6 Months.
Deadline for submissions: 16 February 2015.
To participate in the Great Minds competition, see the detailed instructions for students.
First ever Internet of Things Codeathon Held in Strathmore University
Internet of things is a new trend that is believed to be one of the drivers of application development for the near future. It is the concept that everyday objects can be connected to each other transferring and receiving data, without a human-to-human or human-to–computer interaction. The IBM CSC team at Strathmore University together with @iLabAfrica hosted the first ever Internet of things codeathon on the 23rd May 2014. The competition marked the end of a two weeks training where a team of IBM experts trained developers and students in the Safaricom Academy on next generation application development. Students used technologies such as Node Red and BlueMix to develop internet of things applications, which involved the use of sensor and embedded devices.
Amazing concepts and applications were showcased by the students, who spent an entire day developing concepts and applications based on the Internet of Things concept. The theme of the competition was “Using Internet of Things to make Africa a Safer Place”. From using drones to send surveillance data to control rooms, to using sensors that send data on the water levels in a dam for purposes of informing irrigation projects, the students displayed impressive innovations that could have a great impact when implemented in solving some of Africa’s greatest challenges.
The students had only 3 minutes to present their concepts and applications in an elevator-pitch fashion. At the end of the presentations, the applications were judged by a team of experts from IBM and @iLabAfrica and the best three applications were recognized and awarded with cool hardware gadgets that included sensors and embedded devices. All the participants were also awarded certificates for attending the intensive course on next generation application development.
@iLabAfrica received a drone from the IBM team on behalf of Strathmore University to be used for Next Generation Application Development training. IBM and Strathmore University are engaged in talks of how to make the next generation training undertaken at @iLabAfrica sustainable to benefit more students and developers in the future.
Discussion on the future of Software Development and Innovation in Kenya Held at Strathmore University
@iLabAfrica-Strathmore University and the IBM Corporate Services Corps Group held a stakeholders panel discussion on Software development and innovation in Kenya on the 22nd May 2014, at Strathmore University.
The panel discussion was the culmination of a two weeks training program by the IBM Corporate Services Group on Next Generation Application Development. It was an opportunity to examine the state of software development training in the country from both the academic and industry angles. Panelists were drawn from both fields and all addressed different issues in regard to what needs to be done to ensure Kenyan software developers keep up with the latest trends and are trained to become problem solvers and not language-specific programmers.
The IBM corporate services group, led by Ben Mann, the program director at IBM’s software division took the stage to explain the future of software development. They observed that application development is continuously changing and developers need to learn a new way of producing software in order to keep up with the demand and competition. In this new model software is developed much faster, deployed quickly and updated continuously to meet users’ needs. Cloud, mobile, big data, social and Internet of things are the new drivers of software development and the IBM team had spent close to two weeks teaching these skills to developers in Kenya.
The panel discussion was attended by a mix of students, software developers and other IT professionals who packed the Strathmore University auditorium to take part in the great discussion. The discussion was a sizzling and engaging session where various issues were raised in regard to challenges facing software developers and possible solutions. One of the challenges identified was that curriculum is hardly keeping up with the continuously changing industry needs. This was pointed out by one of the panelists, Dr. Joseph Sevilla, the director of @iLabAfrica, and the founder of the Faculty of IT in Strathmore University. Dr. Sevilla observed that this can be improved by involving industry experts in curriculum review and running co-curriculum activities that expose students to training in the latest technologies. Another Panelist, Veronicah Ogeto, head of innovation at Safaricom supported this saying that many graduates take a long time to adapt to industry standards, requiring longer training periods. One of the initiatives Safaricom is running to reduce the disparity is deploying environments where students can learn industry relevant skills while still in university. For example, Safaricom has deployed a telecommunications infrastructure to help students in JKUAT learn hands-on skills in GSM network operations. While the technical skills are very important, developers also need good communication skills, soft skills and ability to relate to people from different cultures. This was observed by another panelist, Rachel Reinitz-Distinguished Engineer and CTO of Software Services for Websphere, IBM Software Group. Conrad Akunga an experienced software developer and founder of Mzalendo challenged students to become problem solvers and not to confine themselves behind a particular programming language or platform. He observed that this was one of the major hurdles that software developers had to jump to have real impact in solving the many problems that Africa faces.
At the end of the discussion, the consensus was that the most important thing for students aspiring to become great software developers was to gain skills learn how to solve problems. Industry, academia and the students were also challenge to foster the right motivation to work for changing Africa.
Panel Discussion: Software Development and Innovation in Kenya
The IBM Corporate Service Corps team and @iLabAfrica, Strathmore University will hold a Panel Discussion about Software Development and Innovation in Africa. The Panel Session is the grand finale of a two weeks developer workshop on Cloud, Mobile, Web, Social and the Internet of Things.
The panel session will be attended by highly influential technology and ICT stakeholders in Kenya from the private sector, government and the Kenya software development community at large. Also present will be a team of experts from the IBM CSC group. The group has been in Strathmore University since 7th of May, imparting skills and knowledge in the use of next generation application development tools and techniques.
The panel session will examine the current state of software development in Kenya, the future of software development, as well as provide an opportunity for the Next Generation Application Development workshop trainees to showcase apps developed using the IBM BlueMix platform, over the period of the two weeks training program.
PANELISTS:
- Dr. Joseph Sevilla- Director @iLabAfrica, Strathmore University
- Veronicah Ogeto Tchoketch- Head of Innovation at Safaricom LTD
- Rachel Reinitz-Distinguished Engineer and CTO of Software Services for Websphere, IBM Software Group
- Conrad Akunga- Co-Founder & Director of Product Development and Research, Innova Ltd
- ICT Authority Kenya
- Prof. Meoli Kashorda-Executive Director Kenya Education Network
This event is FREE and open to the public, especially people in the software development field, students, educators and all technology enthusiasts in the country.
Date: 22nd May 2014
Venue: Strathmore University Auditorium
Time: 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Catch the Biggest Developer Meetups on Mobile and Big Data at @iLabAfrica, Strathmore University with IBM
@iLabAfrica, @iBizAfrica and the IBM Corporate Services Corps team in Strathmore University have organized two meetups for developers in Kenya. the Meetups will be a platform to discuss the latest and futuristic trends in software development especially big data analytics, cloud and the internet of things. The meetups are part of a two weeks-long program to train Kenyan developers on the latest, disruptive and game changing trends in software development, by the best software and business developers from the most innovative company in the world, IBM.
Big Data Developers Meetup
Description: Geared towards developers, data scientists and ALL Big Data enthusiasts, our meetups provide an opportunity to work hands on with the solutions and tools in our Big Data portfolio.
Date: Monday, 19th May 2014
Time: 6 – 8 p.m.
RSVP: Click here!
Place: Management Science Building, Room MSB11, Strathmore University, Madaraka Estate, Ole Sangale Road, 00200 City Square.
First meetup of Nairobi Next Gen Application Developers at Strathmore University
Description: At this meetup we will deliver an introductory presentation about Cloud, Web, Mobile, Social and Internet of Things and Technical walk through of new Cloud development platform IBM BlueMix.
Date: Tuesday 20th May 2014
Time:6 – 8 p.m.
Place: Management Science Building, Room MSB11, Strathmore University, Madaraka Estate, Ole Sangale Road, 00200 City Square.
RSVP: Click here!
All are welcome and its all FREE!
The IBM CSC Next Generation Development Team at @iLabAfrica
Over the next one month, the following highly skilled IBM professionals will work at @iLabAfrica, Strathmore University. They will impart technical skills and run a two weeks-long intensive course in next generation applications. The course prepares developers for the revolution that is being driven by Cloud, Mobile, Web, Social and the Internet of Things. It follows a hands-on approach with access to the latest technologies and tools. Team Profile
Finance Education Coordinator in IBM International Services Center in Bratislava, Slovakia.
5 years working in IBM in Finance department, last 1.5 years focusing on soft & finance skills development.
Master degree in Economics focused on Tourism management.
Life Cycle Management Engineer for IBM’s Mainframe and Power Systems. 8 years of mentoring and tutoring experiences for students from primary and secondary schools. Masters of Business Administration. Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic Engineering).
Software Architect supporting IBM’s Endpoint Manager product. 18 years software development experience with a focus on Middleware applications. I engage regularly with customers and co-ordinate the implementation of their requirements with the development teams. Bachelor degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering from Trinity College Dublin.
IBM Corporate Services Corps Team Visit @iLabAfrica, Strathmore University
A high profile team from IBM visited @iLabAfrica, Strathmore University on the 5th of May 2014. The team otherwise known as IBM Corporate Services Corps team comprised of high achieving employees from IBM offices across the world. The IBM Corporate Services Corps program is an IBM initiative started in 2008 to serve communities in emerging markets in solving economic and social problems. The team will be working in Kenya over the next one month with various stake holders including government ministries, universities and tech hubs.
This year, @iLabAfrica, Strathmore University will host 3 experts from the IBM Corporate Services Corps team for over a period of four weeks. While at Strathmore, the team will conduct training workshops and presentations on next generation applications. The workshops will entail intensive training on mobile apps development and cloud platforms including the IBM BlueMix cloud platform, APIs, applications management and collaboration, big data analytics and entrepreneurship. The training will run from the 12th to the 26th of May at @iLabAfrica Strathmore University.
Strathmore University enjoys a strong partnership with IBM and this collaboration will see the two entities work together to provide the best training in next generation applications. This is expected to improve the quality of application development in the country as well as impart skills in the latest technology among Kenyan software developers and entrepreneurs. @iLabAfrica is also in the process of launching an ambitions research project in collaboration with IBM for cervical cancer awareness and prevention. IBM is also working with government and other agencies in the country in research and innovation projects that will set the country on the right course to achieve vision 2030.
Strathmore and IBM BlueMix sponsor Intensive Course in Next Generation Applications
@iBizAfrica, in collaboration with IBM, will run an intensive training course during the month of May on Next Generation Applications.
The next generation of applications must be delivered faster, enhanced easier and be more integrated, intelligent and secure. This course prepares developers for the revolution that is being driven by Cloud, Mobile, Web, Social and the Internet of Things. It follows a hands-on approach with access to the latest technologies and tools.
This training will cover:
- Why Cloud Platforms are changing the way developers build and deploy applications
- Developing the next generation of applications (Cloud, Mobile, Social, Internet of Things) easier and faster with Cloud Platforms
- Using IBM’s Cloud Platform – BlueMix – to develop, deploy and secure next generation applications
- Applying Big Data Analytics to next generation applications
- Taking your application ideas to successful innovations
Why enroll in this course?
To position yourself strategically to take advantage of the Mobile and Cloud revolution in the ICT industry and to differentiate yourself with tools and techniques that create more engaging, more integrated and intelligent applications.
What the benefits?
Participants will benefit from receiving intensive training in the very latest Mobile and Cloud application development technologies and techniques delivered by global experts. This training has a total estimated value of over KES 20,000.
On completion of the course, together with submission of a completed material, participants will receive a certificate jointly issued by IBM and Strathmore University Faculty of Information Technology. The submission includes developed applications uploaded to the IBM JazzHub code repository, and a written blog article and/or video presentation of their experience and of the applications they have developed.
Who should attend?
- ICT students that want to deepen their understanding of application development and the revolution that is driving change in the IT industry.
- Mobile and Web Application developers that keen to sharpen and update their skills on the latest application development technologies.
- Entrepreneurs who want to understand how next generation applications can help them deliver their vision faster and in a more integrated way to maximize the commercial viability of their endeavors.
Course Pre-Requisites:
Applicants will need to demonstrate previous hands-on experience in the following:
- Programming fundamentals
- Experience with Java and/or JavaScript
Once confirmed, attendees will need to register before attending the course for free access to IBM BlueMix at this page: https://ace.ng.bluemix.net
What is the duration of the Course?
10 days (2 weeks) from 12th to 23rd May 2014.
What are the Course Fees?
This course is sponsored by Strathmore University and IBM’s Corporate Service Corps program. The goal is to help develop skills to take application development in Kenya to the next level.
As a result of this sponsorship, the entire course of 10 days intensive training will cost KES. 20,000 for non-students and KES. 5,000 for students. This is a great bargain as the course would normally cost KES. 105,000 without the sponsorship!
Click here for more Information about this course. To read more about BlueMix click here.
Registration for this training is now closed!
@iLabAfrica 