ALX Leads the African Tech Skills Revolution with New Programs for 2023

Thousands of young African prospective students will be able to access world-class courses in the most in-demand technology fields offered by a leading technology training provider, ALX. This announcement comes as developed economies face historic talent and labour shortages in key sectors, with players in the digital and tech industries increasingly looking to Africa as an emerging hotspot for skilled digital talent, addressing a global talent shortfall that is predicted to exceed 85 million people by 2030.

To help boost this skills revolution, ALX, a division of African Leadership International (ALI), has launched four new and accessible tech programmes for 2023, namely: Data Analytics, Data Science, Salesforce Administrator, and AWS Cloud Practitioner, in addition to new cohorts for its world-class Software Engineering programme. The courses are valued at between $7,500 – $39,750 in Africa, and $14,500 – $79,500 in Europe and North America. In partnership with Mastercard Foundation, ALX is able to offer eligible candidates access to these programmes at no cost.

The new programmes have been developed with the aim of expanding ALX’s growing community of highly skilled professionals with qualifications that will keep evolving with the demands of the digital economy. They have been designed in response to the global AI Revolution and the high demand for Data Scientists and Data Analysts, along with the drive to hire people with cloud computing skills, which has been recognised as the most in-demand hard skill in the tech market. The Salesforce ecosystem, meanwhile, is set to create more than 9 million jobs by 2026.

Founded by Fred Swaniker, one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2019, ALX is connected to an innovative ecosystem of institutions with a collective mission to harness Africa’s abundant human capital by developing two million ethical and entrepreneurial young leaders from the continent by 2030.

The development of these courses comes on the heels of ALI’s recent acquisition of a leading Silicon Valley institution, Holberton Inc., which primes ALX to be one of the largest software engineering trainers in the world, aligning with the organisation’s mission to develop Africa’s human capital at scale.

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Human Capital Index, Sub-Saharan Africa currently only captures 55% of its human capital potential, compared to a global average of 65%. Furthermore, Africa, the continent with the youngest population worldwide, is expected to have a workforce of 1.1 billion by 2035, surpassing that of China and India. This is why industry leaders are looking to Africa for the next wave of big tech talent.

“Investing in digital skills and innovation-driven learning is the best way to turn African potential into best-in-class excellence”, says ALI CEO and founder, Fred Swaniker.

“As an organisation that has produced thousands of software engineers and professionals in the digital and tech arena, we recognise and advocate for the immense potential of African countries to benefit from a growing demand for skilled labour in those sectors globally,” Swaniker adds.

Having enrolled over 100 000 students since it began scaling its career acceleration programmes in 2021, ALX aims to build a new community of tech talent and invest in digital leaders that will power the future.

Many of the tech programmes require no prior experience or background in IT. “Our goal is to transform the future of Africa by creating a new generation of agile digital leaders for the 21st century, enabling them to prepare, launch and grow their careers in high-growth industries,” concludes Swaniker.

People who wish to enroll in the courses or find out more about ALX can visit www.alxethiopia.com .

 About ALX

ALX’s career-focused approach to learning aims to develop well-rounded tech professionals who are equipped with both the professional and technical skills that enable them to thrive in the most in-demand, high-growth industries. From the start of their training at ALX through to their entry into The ROOM, ALI’s prestigious tech talent community, individuals are supported throughout their career journeys, provided with ongoing access to life-long learning, mentorship, peer support and career opportunities.

With the global digitalisation of the world’s most impactful industries, developing and providing courses that address the inequalities that keep African youth locked out of the global tech boom has never been more important. Software development, cloud computing, and data analytics are among the top skill areas that were in demand globally in 2022, according to the International Labour Organisation, as companies around the world rapidly evolve in response to the demands of the digital economy.

ALX addresses the global skills gap in this booming economic sector that is leaving millions of young bright minds out of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), and the incredible potential it has to transform Africa into the new growth frontier for tech.

ALX is a leading technology training provider, having enrolled over 100 000 learners across 54 African countries including its eight core markets, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, Egypt, Ethiopia and Morocco.

About the Mastercard Foundation

The Mastercard Foundation works with visionary organisations to enable young people in Africa and in Indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. It is one of the largest private foundations in the world with a mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world. It was established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company. The Foundation is an independent organisation, and its policies, operations, and program decisions are determined by its own Board of Directors and senior leadership team. It is a registered Canadian charity with offices in Toronto, Kigali, Accra, Nairobi, Kampala, Lagos, Dakar, and Addis Ababa.

For more information on the Foundation, please visit: www.mastercardfdn.org

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