Mission accomplished: Google Digital Skills for Africa surpasses 500,000 trainees

ITRealms:

It was a mission accomplished for Google as it confirmed training over 500,000 persons on the Africa Digital Skills programme, reports ITRealms.

Confirming this, the Google Country Manager for Nigeria, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, said in Lagos while unveiled a portal for the programme, that over 500,000 received trainings in programme which launched in April 2016.

“Though 500,000 people have acquired digital skills since trainings begun six months ago, there are people in Nigeria and across the continent who are unable to attend face-to-face training sessions and who want to acquire digital skills in their own time, from their own phone or computer,” she said.

The online portal, she explained will make it possible for these people to take advantage of the free digital skills training programme. The portal which contains 89 online courses on a wide range of digital subjects including web analytics, social media management and mobile marketing, will be available in English, French and, in the near future, in Portuguese.

“We’re excited that over 500,000 people in Africa have acquired digital skills training through our program and we’re grateful to every organisation that has partnered with us to make it happen. But we are only halfway towards our goal. As we mentioned when we launched the program in April, we want anyone in Nigeria and across Africa to get trained in digital skills. 

Through this new online portal, more people will now be able to gain skills and knowledge that will help them build and grow businesses and find and create new jobs” said Juliet Ehimuan Chiazor.

For Bunmi Banjo, Head of the Africa Digital Skills Programme, Google hopes the portal will enable more people in more African countries to make the most of the web.

“The training is available to anyone, and people who complete the programme will receive a Certificate of Online Proficiency,” Banjo said.

ITRealms recalls that the Internet continues to be a key engine of growth for business in Africa and globally, with estimates putting its total contribution at $300 billion within the coming decade.

Industry observers have noted that although Africa’s online population, which is currently estimated at 340 million is said to have grown by a rate of over 7,000% since 2000, the continent is yet to enjoy a corresponding increase in the size of its web economy.

ITRealms further recollects that in April 2016, Google proclaimed commitment to train 1 million people in Africa on digital skills with the aim of helping more young Africans access and create web-based jobs, and contribute to the growth of Africa's digital economy.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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