ITU-D -FLASH • 2015 ITU CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE: DEVELOPING HUMAN RESOURCE EXPERTISE FOR THE ICT SECTOR Guiselle Mejía from Costa Rica has over 20 years working in the country’s telecommunication industry.Over the years she has witnessed a major transformation of the industry. Not only has the sector been opened up to competition bringing new players, but the convergence of various information and communication technologies has opened up new opportunities for business growth.“In this rapidly evolving industry, the way we do business is also rapidly changing, and yesterday’s business model may be irrelevant today,” says Ms Mejía. “We too have to keep upgrading our business knowledge management skills and tools in order to continue to deliver quality services to our client base.”In January 2013, Ms Mejía enrolled for an online Postgraduate Programme in Telecommunications Strategic Management offered by the ITU Centers of Excellence. Spread over an 18 month period, the program’s main objective was to train professionals in the telecommunication industry to upgrade their skills in strategic management as well as develop new business practices based on new technologies and new market opportunities.“The programme was not only informative but very engaging,” says Ms Mejía. “It covered topics that are very relevant in today’s telecommunication industry among them project management, negotiation strategies, advantages and opportunities of new technologies, business communication, customer service and marketing. I benefited immensely from the programme acquiring fresh insights on how to work and develop products for a very competitive industry.”She adds that during the entire course participants had the opportunity to engage with counterparts from different parts of the world who shared experiences, challenges and strategies on how to remain competitive in the fast changing telecommunication industry. “This opportunity to share experiences with other people from different countries around the world was a great added advantage for me,” she adds.The Centers of Excellence (CoEs) programme is run by the Human Capacity Building Division of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau Ms Guiselle Mejía