ALX, Africa’s leading technology training provider, plans to equip more than two million young people across Africa with the technology skills to prepare them for the dynamic world of work and provide innovative solutions to Africa’s challenges. This was made known as ALX Nigeria recently welcomed over 400 new students at a Caribbean “welcome” ceremony held at the Vantage Point Events Center in Ogba, Lagos. The event was held to formally welcome and engage new learners and aspiring technicians aged 18-34 from Nigeria and across Africa to his ALX community.
ALX Founder and CEO Fred Swaniker congratulated the new learners in his welcome address. He noted that Africa continues to lag in efforts to equip young people with future skills. He expressed his concerns as follows: “China has 7 million professional software engineers, the US has more than 4 million, India has more than 2 million, and Africa has fewer than 700,000.” He noted that the world is fast-paced and dynamic and Africa’s education systems are no longer preparing young people for the jobs of the future. He implored new learners to take advantage of the opportunities offered by ALX to better their lives.
The Karbu event was the second of its kind, after the first held in May, and more than 5,000 learners successfully joined the ALX technical community. The ceremony brought together a variety of stakeholders and innovators in the technology field, including investors, technopreneurs, executives, technology journalists and influencers, ALX Fellows, and current and new ALX learners. Distinguished attendees included the Head of Partnerships, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Sherifa Balogun; Innocent Agofure, principal of Wellspring College; FSDH Human Resources Director, Omotoso Oluwasegun. Representatives from the Mastercard Foundation and African Leadership University also participated.
Ruby Igwe, General Manager of ALX Nigeria and moderator of the event, urged the new students to demonstrate their commitment and passion for the program and adopt a positive attitude to complete their training at ALX. Ta. She listened to testimonies from current students, ALX alumni, and fellows, highlighting the many opportunities that lie ahead for them. Igwe said she stressed that the ALX program aims to transform young learners into visionary technology leaders and employable graduates. Programs offered at ALX include Data Analytics, Cloud Computing, Software Engineering, and Salesforce Management.
During the panel discussion, ALX fellows discussed the many benefits that new learners can gain from the program. They drew attention to the cutting-edge skills and opportunities created by ALX. “The impact of his ALX on my life and career goals was overwhelming. The work-ready technology skills I developed helped me land my dream job at a major fintech company.” ALX Cloud said his computing alumnus Daniel Ugama. We’re learning from the best. The platform is very attractive, innovative and user friendly. “It’s definitely going to be a great experience,” he added. He urged new learners to take the program very seriously and avoid exercises that could lead to dropout.
ALX Salesforce Administrator alumnus Chisom Ukachukwu highlighted ALX’s high success rate because of its emphasis on common literacy and community engagement. “We would not have gotten this far in the program without our community. At ALX, you are never alone. We intentionally try to build a peer review system and a community push that motivates us to be the best.” There is an attempt,” she said. She expressed her gratitude to her ALX Nigeria for giving her the opportunity to participate in the Salesforce program and fostering her interest in becoming a technology entrepreneur.
Speaking at the expert panel session, Digivate 360 CEO Olusegun Oetunji praised the growing enthusiasm and interest in technology among African youth. “Over the past 20 years, we have made bold strides in creating new technologies. We are pioneering homegrown solutions in electronic technology, hydraulic technology and many other areas. African Technopreneurs It is noteworthy that we are able to secure up to US$40 million in funding to power small households across Africa. It is a testament to our potential and growth,” he said. He explained that as Africa expands its commitment to innovation and creativity, it must focus on creating solutions rather than dwelling on problems. “To achieve this, we must understand that community engagement is essential to driving innovation. We must eliminate individualism and work together to attract opportunities.” he complained.
A unique feature of this hybrid event was Global Sync, during which new learners were able to connect with other ALX learners across Africa through live streaming video calls. ALX has technology locations in Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda and South Africa. Also participating was a community of learners and researchers from his 28 states in Nigeria, who joined virtually to the delight of the local participants.
For over four years, ALX has been working across Africa to equip young people with in-demand skills to close knowledge gaps. In addition to our extensive technical program, we host high-impact activation events throughout the year. Recently, over 100 young women within the ALX Nigeria community were supported to attend her SHECODE Summit 2023 for in-depth technology-related sessions and networking opportunities. ALX employs innovative learning tools and transformative mentoring techniques to build a community of ethical digital leaders.
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