The RH-TI (Strategic Induction Program for Training of Human Resources in Information Technology) contributes to High School and Technical Education students joining courses related to that area in public universities in the state of Amazonas. It is an initiative from the Amazonas State Research Support Foundation (FAPEAM) and the state government and has the support of Instituto TIM, which makes laboratories available for 40 students to have practical classes every morning on important subjects for those who want to work in IT.
“The students have classes on Physics, Mathematics, Portuguese, Philosophy, English, Computing and Chemistry – which will be a new subject in 2014 and can be offered after the Instituto TIM support,” explains the RH-TI coordinator, Reuiter Braga. During practical classes in the laboratories, the students are able to see how what they study in the theoretical classes happen in the real world, by means of robots and other equipment. “The content differs from the regular education classes. In the computing part, they do not learn about programming. We teach them about IT planning, entrepreneurship, general approaches etc.”, explains Reuiter.</span>
The objective of RH-TI is for students to complete college with a focus in developing their own business. To take part in the program’s selection process it is necessary to be enrolled at least in the 1st year of the Secondary or Technical Education. Around 60 students are called up in the first month (between February and March), but only 40 students are selected. “Previously we used to only call the 40 students. Today, we’d rather open space to get to know the students a little better,” the coordinator tells.
The course lasts two years, during which the students receive a grant of R$ 190. At the end of the program, if the student is approved to an undergraduate course related to IT in a public university, s/he will continue receiving the grant for another year, but the value increases to R$ 360. “S/he also receives a tutoring service with us during the first year of college to better understand the course and understand the importance of the subjects.” The first class was formed in 2013. Of 34 youths who completed the course, 26 were approved in public universities.
RH-TI is part of a group of initiatives of the state of Amazonas government supported by Instituto TIM, which also includes the Strategic Induction Program for Training of Human Resources in Engineering (Pró-Engenharias) and the full-time teaching program in engineering and IT at the Engineer Sérgio Alfredo Pessoa Figueiredo Integral Education Center (CETI). Both offer practical classes and guidance for the youths to join Engineering courses in public universities.
The RH-TI classes are offered in the Amazonas Education Institute (IEA) with support from the State Department of Education of Amazonas (SEDUC-AM).
