IT professionals

Tanzania is firmly committed to international education targets, and education is core to its development strategy. It recognises IT as an essential tool for improving educational prospects for youths and increasing the livelihood opportunities for adults. The Jifunze project is working to bring IT skills to rural areas, where computers are still quite new at present. As an IT trainer you’ll be based at one of the project’s rural IT training centres, building the IT skills of staff and delivering IT training to school teachers so that they can pass on IT knowledge to their students.

What does the role involve?

• Researching educational IT materials and supporting curriculum development at the training centre
• Helping to establish a database for the centre and developing network administration
• Conducting IT training to primary and secondary school teachers
• Trouble-shooting and hardware/software maintenance at the centre

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need a degree level qualification in IT or related field and have experience in IT training. The ability to teach introductory computer courses, Microsoft Word and Excel is essential. You’ll also need basic knowledge of hardware maintenance and networking. Creativity and knowledge of older technologies and systems would be useful as the computers at the centre won’t be cutting edge. You'll need to be happy to live and work in a remote area, be culturally sensitive and have a flexible approach.

And the rest...

Over four times the size of Britain, Tanzania’s landscape is vast and richly varied, consisting of extensive plains and plateaus, gorgeous inland lakes, volcanoes (both active and dormant), palm fringed white sandy beaches and of course the world’s highest freestanding mountain - Kilimanjaro. You’ll be living in rural Kibaya, a friendly small village where you’ll have the opportunity to really integrate and live as part of the community.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

VSO Ethiopia’s education programme supports the Ministry of Education’s policy to improve the quality of, and accessibility to, education, so that Ethiopians can gain practical skills that will advance sustainable development within Ethiopia. Improved IT skills and knowledge are vital parts of this initiative. VSO IT volunteers are working in colleges and universities around the country to develop the IT capacities of these institutions and train their counterpart Ethiopian IT staff. As an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Specialist at Haramaya University you’ll make a direct and important contribution to this development goal.

What does the role involve?

• Maintaining and trouble shooting computer hardware at the university
• Working with the IT support team at the university to improve bandwidth management, network reliability, developing usage policies and managing anti-virus updates
• Mentoring and building the technical skills of the IT support team, developing a culture of planning and strategic working in the IT team

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need a degree or equivalent qualification in IT or relevant field with at least three years’ experience of working in an IT environment, ideally at management level. Broad IT skills are essential – you’ll need experience in network installation and administration, hardware maintenance and troubleshooting. Good communication and interpersonal skills are also important as you’ll be training and working closely with your local colleagues. You’ll be a self-starter, flexible with a patient and self-reliant approach, and a great sense of humour for when things don’t go to plan.

And the rest...

Landlocked Ethiopia is situated in North Eastern Africa, bordering Eritrea, Sudan, Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti. The Simien mountains are arguably the most spectacular mountain range in Africa, and Lalibela, with its 13th century rock-hewn churches and the medieval castle of Gondar make for a very different experience from most other African countries. Haramaya University is one of the oldest and largest universities in Ethiopia, situated in a town with same name. You’ll provided with accommodation on the campus, which will most likely be a single story house.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.