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JAM | Jun 4, 2022

Dushyant Savadia | ‘Technology must not be feared, it must be used for the greater good’

/ Our Today

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Amber Group CEO Dushyant Savadia delivering his remarks at the AC Marriot Hotel in New Kingston during the June 1 graduation ceremony of the first cohort of students at the Amber Heart Academy. Seated is Prime Minister Andrew Holness. (Photo contributed)

The Amber Group, founded by Dushyant Savadia, has led the charge to see to it that students in Jamaica get an education in coding and go on to build careers with this technological skill.

Together with the HEART NSTA Trust, the company has established the Amber Heart Academy.

On Wednesday (June 1), a ceremony was held for the unveiling of the Amber Heart Institute of Coding which also saw 27 students receive graduation certificates and secure jobs at NCB and Digicel.

This is a commendable initiative.

Many graduates on completion of their studies are unable to find jobs but Amber has seen to it that these students from its institute are placed with reputable companies that put technology at the forefront of their operations.

Below is CEO Dushyant Savadia’s full address:

It was the late innovator Steve Jobs who said:

“Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll l wonderful things with them.” – Steve Jobs

We had faith, we gave them tools, they learnt and built wonderful things and today lives have been transformed forever. Congratulations, class of 2022!

I want to give a little backstory…

Prime Minister Andrew Holness (elft), presents a certificate to Akeem Henry, who was the valedictorian at the Amber HEART Academy’s graduation ceremony held at the AC Hotel by Marriott in St Andrew on June 1, 2022. Looking on is Amber Group founder and CEO, Dushyant Savadia. (Photo contributed)

It just feels like yesterday, when over a year ago there was a meeting at Tera Nova with Alok Jain, Merle Donaldson from the OPM and Martin Rickman and Keneshia Campbell from Heart NSTA. Within two hours it was clear to all, we are doing this and we will do it fast.

We then presented this proposal to Prime Minister [Andrew Holness] and we got his instant support; his passion for this project was so evident as it aligned with what he had envisioned for Jamaica’s entrance into becoming a global technology producer than a consumer.

In three months, the first cohort was launched.

A year ago, we made a determination to try something which has never been done before. The programme was even criticised by many on social media with sentiments that it would fail. A year later, here we are, setting new precedence of success.

The first cohort gained extensive knowledge in technologies such as PHP, Javascript, API development, SQL (these are various coding languages) and were able to develop practical consumer interfacing solutions including a blood donation management system, bike rental application and an HR management system as well as an e-commerce website among others. It is unbelievable that in a year, these youths from remote communities have become fantastic coders.

The students have matriculated to receive NCTVET Level 3 Certification (Software Programming Operations).

This also signifies the first ever end to end training programme that leads to campus recruitment even before graduation.

Today I am pleased to announce that 27 of our graduates from the pilot have gained employment at companies such as Digicel, NCB and Amber.

Amber was conceived right here in Jamaica. We are now six years old and a proud multinational Jamaican company exporting our services to 30 countries globally with 11 business lines. At Amber, that is our passion, that is our call to serve and help people find purpose. We have used all our available resources to build, empower, change and transform lives and the world through technology.

You know, last year I pointed out that the largest exporters of software are India, China, and countries in East Europe. That statistic has not changed. With a global market of US$507 billion, this is a tremendous opportunity to partake in this market and Jamaica should not be left behind. In fact, current issues in the world will require greater reliance on technology to ensure consumers and businesses can interact, integrate and survive.

The technology sector remains among the fastest developing sectors across the world, building out data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, 3D printing and so many more, including aviation. So, if technology drives our everyday lives, why can’t we here in Jamaica build out the technology hub of the Caribbean and for the entire region? Why can’t we build our own Silicon Valley, say instead JamRock, call it a ‘Jam Tech Rock’?

I know many persons not just in Jamaica but in several corners of the world suffer from technophobia or some form of apprehension to technology. You know, Prime Minister Holness was absolutely correct and he said something so profound that stayed in my head.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness (right), conversing with Amber Group founder and CEO Dushyant Savadia during the graduation ceremony for the first cohort of 25 trainees under the Amber HEART Academy at the AC Hotel by Marriott Kingston in St Andrew on June 1, 2022. (Photo: JIS)

He said: “We must promote the use of technology because the societies that embrace technology, embrace science and remove suspicion and fear and instead apply reason; those are the societies that progress and prosper. It is the societies that fear technologies, resist technology, resist science and rest their hopes on superstition and fear; those societies that crumble and don’t last and become mired in poverty.”

In my view, technology is not to be feared, it is to be used for greater good. Jamaica’s biggest asset, of course after our sun, sea and land, is human capital. We have leveraged the sun, sea and land for decades, it’s now time to focus on human capital.

In my opinion, skills are not equivalent to degrees and degrees are not equivalent to skills either. Times have changed. The world has changed.

People with no degree have proven to be extremely skilful and have contributed enormously to businesses, society and the world at large. While persons with formal degrees continue to pave the way forward for society.

The time has come for us to embark on the journey to onboard employees because they are skilful and not deter them from their ambition to contribute, just because they do not have the relevant degree that you are looking for.

Just skills are also not enough, emotional learning is also needed. Hence, not only did we provide coding skills to these students, they have been trained through the workshops of the Art of Living Foundation (one of the world’s largest non-profit organisations which has impacted more than 800 million lives in 153 countries) to focus on integrity, human values, compassion and keep a mindset of serving society.

Today I stand so proud that this pilot of 100 youths has been so successful and groundbreaking. As Amber, this gave us the confidence and courage to invest even further to start the Caribbean’s first Amber Heart Institute of Coding. A dedicated campus based coding institute, where from early October, we will onboard 300 residential students and 200 more who can commute (come on campus daily and leave).

And I am imploring other businesses to get in touch with us and partner with us. Just as NCB and Digicel have opened doors to these students coming out of the Amber Heart Academy. Integrate them into your businesses and help us develop a first world nation.

I want to thank Digicel and NCB for their tremendous support towards the Coding and Schools [programme] and the Coding Academy and now they have taken another leap with us by employing these graduates. You truly are champions of Jamaica and thank you for what you are doing for these youths!

We have the blueprint right here. We are actively training and certifying our workforce to transition to higher value-added jobs. We have trained problem solvers. Therefore, the private and public sectors must utilise this new generation of skills to innovate, create and lead Jamaica with technology.

My friends, I am truly passionate about what we can do with technology; how we can transform our society and economy with technology; how we can become great(er) through the use of technology. Oftentimes, technology is the catalyst for change. Let us use technology to propel us to the next frontier.

In my closing, I also want to thank Ruchita Tripathy, Amber’s technical coordinator, who has tirelessly worked with these youths to get them here. The trainers at Amber and the entire 600-member strong team of Amber Group globally work hard across many time zones and cultures to create the wealth so we can give back!

To the students I would say, look back with gratitude, look up with confidence and look forward with hope and prayers.

Prime Minister and the team at OPM, Heart Trust, Stony Hill campus, a massive thank you for this incredible dedication and collaboration. Your passion to revolutionise is obvious.

God bless you all.

Thank you.

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