PDT
The CTO’s Programme for Development and Training (PDT) was created in 1985 as a mechanism to provide technical expertise in ICTs to stakeholders across the world by facilitating cooperation amongst members. Since then, the PDT has been one of the Commonwealth’s largest capacity building programmes, with over 3,600 bilateral, technical cooperation projects delivered in over 30 countries.
PDT operates as a corporate membership programme, in which organisations could take part either as Requesting partners (organisations that seek training) or Offering partners (organisations that offer training). Requesting partners submit their training requests along with a pre-payment for the costs of training. These courses are either delivered as stand-alone courses or regional courses (by combining several requests) by Offering partners who are selected after a competitive bidding process. Due to the demand aggregation and competitive bidding process, the cost of PDT training is always lower than the open market rates.
The PDT provides specialised ICT capacity development training programmes to Ministries, regulatory agencies and ICT operators around the world, to help support the growing demands and challenges they face. Delivered in over thirty countries, the PDT provides bespoke professional training, consultancy and advisory services in policy and regulation, business development and management and technology.
The courses offered through PDT leverage the CTO’s comprehensive international network of qualified technology and industry experts to facilitate knowledge-sharing through the rapid deployment of new technologies, the sharing of good practices and the application of business solutions at a localised level. With their technical knowledge and practical business understanding, seasoned PDT programme experts support the crafting of effective and customised training solutions that allow participants to acquire advanced and specialist skills in ICT and telecommunications.
To be the preferred partner for the delivery of cost-effective training and developmental programmes in ICTs and telecommunications in the Commonwealth and beyond.
The PDT 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 following two forms of assistance:
- PDT Bilateral Programme: bespoke training, consulting and attachment programmes developed in response to members’ internal needs and delivered in-house;
- PDT International Programme: HR&ICT, an annual conference addressing human resource management challenges in the ICT sector.
As a global partnership for collaboration and exchange, the PDT 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 CTO.
The PDT reports to the Council of the CTO, and the Chair of the PDT is an ex officio member of the CTO’s Executive Committee.
There are three organs of the PDT :
- The Annual Meeting of PDT Liaison Officers
- The Management Committee of the PDT (PDT MC)
- The CTO Secretariat
- A chairperson, elected annually at the PDT MC meeting
- Two Vice chairpersons also elected annually
- The Secretary General of the CTO
- One representative from each of six regions comprising requesting partners which are largely recipients of PDT assistance, and from which the Chair and two Vice chairpersons are elected
- One representative from supplier members of training or expertise.
