IITPSA member Joseph Lumbahe (30), an Integration Engineer (AI – Computer Vision) at Aizatron Group and Fraud Detection Engineer (VoIP) at MTN, was recently appointed to the Scientific Committee of the IITPSA Programming Olympiad. Joseph’s work at Aizatron Group includes integration and development of Computer Vision solutions, research of possible Artificial Intelligence systems, training in the field of AI and cloud environment with AWS.
Currently pursuing his second Master’s Degree – MS Computer Science at the UK’s University of East London, he also holds a MSc Financial Engineering and BSc Computer Science and Information Systems, and several licences and certifications. On top of being a proud member of the IITPSA, Mr. Lumbahe is also a member of the IEEE and AAAI professional Bodies.
Lumbahe believes AI is the future, allowing IT professionals to move beyond traditional programming to a more dynamic environment in which AI bridges skills gaps and manages time consuming and complex tasks.
Having started his career in the engineering arena with a background in Electrical & Computer Engineering, he soon developed a love for AI and began growing into that field, and his quest for more knowledge and experience has not slowed.
“I’ve been mentoring since 2017 and one common factor that I’ve realised as a mentor is that people tend to limit themselves to the parameters of their degree. The only way to shine in the current market is to make yourself something that is not out there. So, people need to continually upskill themselves and become more employable by combining skills that relevant to the market demand – just like an accountant gaining analytics skills or an IT developer gaining cloud computing skills” he says.
“The degree alone will not guarantee a successful path in one’s career in such a competitive market, without ongoing learning and experience. I’ve actively built mine over the years – even working on multiple external projects simultaneously. It’s not easy but it’s worth it, and one indicator that the hard work is not in vain is that you become a valuable noticeable asset to the industry,” Lumbahe says.
In developing one’s knowledge and skills, belonging to a professional body like the IITPSA is important, he believes. “Being part of those entities shows that you are up to date with technology trends and connected to members who are knowledgeable and expert in your field of expertise. Networking is an important asset, as knowing relevant people expands your knowledge and opportunities.”
