Forge Academy & Labs is gearing up to welcome youth and local companies to its first 5G Futures Lab in Africa.
Located at the Forge Academy premises at the Gantry in Fourways, the lab is based on the Nokia 5G Futures Labs model in Sydney, Australia.
Nokia describes its 5G Futures Labs as enabling the development, testing and demonstration of potential 5G use cases in the lab and in the field. They are also a place where Nokia, its partners and customers come together to explore the potential of 5G.
According to Forge Academy, its 5G Futures Lab, which will be operational from the 30 June, has been in the planning stages since December 2019.
“5G technology empowers the development of new products and services,” says Arthur Wade Anderson, CEO of Forge Academy.
“We will be the first to deploy a 5G Futures Lab in Africa. We are excited to expand our portfolio of 4IR [fourth industrial revolution] technologies that include AI, robotics, augmented reality and more.”
Powered by Finnish telecoms giant Nokia, Forge Academy is SA’s self-proclaimed “Harvard for 4IR”, with a focus on training African students for careers of the future.
Since its launch, the academy has hosted a number of hackathons and offered 4IR internships to help young South Africans grow their digital skillsets.
Forge Academy notes the 5G Futures Lab is part of continued investment in all future skills technology, to stay ahead of 4IR training delivery, adding it can be used by other companies as a 5G testing facility to test apps and development in this space.
Furthermore, the academy will rollout 5G global certification training for anyone wanting to certify in the technology.
Craig Clutty, COO of Forge Academy, comments: “We are at the forefront of 4IR technology and by installing our own 5G Futures Lab Network, we now offer 5G certification training in a live environment − a first on the continent.
“We are honoured to work with Nokia to explore all the possibilities and opportunities that 5G can offer. The 5G Futures Lab will empower students to keep ahead and grow with this technology as it evolves.”
“Nokia has always prioritised ensuring that countries get equipped for the fourth industrial revolution. The build of the 5G Futures Lab with Forge Academy and Business Finland ensures we build the skills to do just that," concludes Pat Wiehahn, head of strategic relations and transformation at Nokia.
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