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Key facts and strengths
As traditional telecommunications markets continue to open and mature, new technologies and applications are introduced that naturally bring with them opportunities as well as challenges. Inevitably, industry stakeholders are faced with changes of different kinds, including that of knowledge and skills development. And with national markets evolving at different pace, government ministries of communication, regulatory agencies and operators are naturally at different stages of facing these new challenges.
Knowing that most organisations are facing these changes, it is the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation’s (CTO) pleasure to introduce the Programme for Development and Training (PDT), a professional training and capacity building programme aimed at helping industry stakeholders understand the latest developments in the industry and build the in-house capacity to meet the challenge of future markets.
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Managed by the CTO, the PDT is a unique low-cost membership programme providing needs-based professional training and capacity building courses on telecommunications policy, regulation, technologies and telecoms business management.
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The PDT has delivered over 3600 bilateral training and consultancy projects, covering every aspect of the telecommunications industry, training over 35,000 professionals in 33 countries of the Commonwealth.
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The PDT sources expertise from its own members and makes it available to one another as needed. With around 1,000 telecom and ICT professionals benefiting from the programme each year, the PDT is one of the oldest running developmental and training programmes in the telecommunications and ICT industries.
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PDT assists governments, regulatory agencies and operators around the world rapidly acquire the necessary internal capacity and know-how to help them achieve goals, through unique strategic training and expert advisory services.
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PDT facilitates knowledge-sharing within a comprehensive international network of qualified technology and industry experts, who assist them in the deployment of new technologies, the adoption of best practices and the application of business solutions at local level.
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Acknowledging the varied training and capacity needs of members, whilst delivering maximum value, the PDT offers flexible membership options depending on how much training and how many participants will be using the programme.
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The PDT operates within a partnership framework, dealing with clients and suppliers as Requesting and Offering Partners. We have a vested interest in the developmental efforts of our Partners; we care about what our Partners are trying to achieve, and long-term partnerships are key to our operations.
Programme's Vision
To be the preferred partner for the delivery of cost-effective training and developmental programmes in ICTs and telecommunications in the Commonwealth and beyond.
Who is it for?
The programme is available to all telecommunications and ICT entities, including government ministries and agencies, regulatory bodies, fixed and mobile operators and broadcasters from any country. In return for their membership contribution, those organisations are entitled to access the four main programmes of assistance.
Programme Funding
As a global partnership for collaboration and exchange, the programme is funded through annual financial contributions from its members, and training is procured through a competitive bidding process. The programme is managed by a dedicated team of project managers and officers within the Commonwealth Telecommunications
The Management Committee of the PDT MC
The PDT MC consists of:
- A chairperson, elected annually at the PDT MC meeting
- Two Vice Chairpersons also elected annually
- The Chief Executive Officer of the CTO
- One representative from each of six regions comprising requesting partners which are largely recipients of PDT assistance
- One representative from each of the major suppliers of training or expertise
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