Africa is on the verge of a tech revolution, and initiatives like Checklearn are at the forefront. With youth unemployment soaring and a glaring talent gap, there's an urgent need for practical tech education. Checklearn aims to fill this void by providing young developers and designers with hands-on experience and essential soft skills. This isn't just about getting jobs; it's about creating a new generation of professionals who will shape Africa's tech landscape.
According to Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics, the youth unemployment rate in Nigeria hit approximately 53.4% in 2022. Despite this staggering figure, there's an even more alarming revelation: a significant talent gap across various sectors. The Nigeria Creative Sector Skills Gap Report 2021 highlighted that 59% of employers are struggling to find suitable candidates. It seems we've got plenty of aspiring talents, but many are stuck in a cycle of theoretical knowledge without any real-world application.
Enter Checklearn. This initiative was born from Check's vision to do more than just churn out coders and designers; they want to create job-ready professionals. The mission is straightforward yet ambitious: bridge the widening skills gap in Africa by equipping young developers and designers with hands-on experience coupled with the soft skills necessary for today's job market.
Soft skills like communication, teamwork, and leadership are vital in tech, especially within dynamic environments such as cryptocurrency exchanges. According to Elucidat, integrating soft skills with technical training can significantly improve team collaboration. What sets Checklearn apart is its focus on these often-overlooked qualities through workshops led by industry experts.
These sessions feature seasoned professionals like Blossom Ozurumba from NNPC Limited, Elizabeth Ajadi from Brookfield Properties, Ibukun Itimi from Lyft, Ojimaajo Udale-Ameh from PiggyVest, Leye Ogunsanya from Risevest, Oladimeji Ajegbile (a UX consultant), among others. With such industry veterans at the helm, participants aren't just learning cutting-edge tech stacks; they're gaining invaluable insights into real-world practices.
We all know that hands-on training boosts information retention and helps clarify complex concepts through practical application. In the context of DeFi projects or any other field for that matter, participants engaged in such training would likely have a deeper understanding of liquidity management strategies.
Checklearn’s primary goal is impactful action. During its first batch in 2023 alone, over 500 applicants vied for just 50 spots—an indication of high demand for bettering one's self as a tech talent ready for the labor market! Of those fortunate enough to enter the program, an impressive 40% secured placements with leading tech firms.
But numbers aside, there's something bigger brewing—a community of learners not merely chasing after jobs but thriving within roles where they make substantial impacts.
As Ibifuro Otobo—People Lead at Check—puts it: “At Check we’ve always believed in nurturing talent which is why sponsoring Checklearn has been such a natural choice for us.” He further elaborates on how it’s built “a sustainable pipeline” of African talent they rely upon heavily since many promising hires come straight outta there!
Checklearn is rapidly becoming synonymous with high-quality talent within Africa’s burgeoning tech scene; graduates emerge equipped not only with certificates but also confidence alongside practical skillsets enabling them drive real impact forward!
Recently last weekend actually! They partnered up TechCabal host an exclusive offsite event called “Beyond Learning: Where Experience Matters.” This gathering extended beyond traditional workshops focusing instead upon exploring importance experiential learning practices over conventional educational methods!
With future collaborations looming—including one set up together School Creatives during this year’s Creatives Connect happening October 19th—it's clear that model employed by check learn effectively bridges gaps between technical expertise essential soft-skills required navigating today’s complex work environments successfully!
By emphasizing real-world experience over theoretical knowledge alone,check learns approach challenges conventional educational paradigms ensuring graduates become immediately job-ready equipped precisely those competencies most valued employers operating contemporary landscapes.This empowering methodology enables continent driven individuals catalyze transformation across industries while simultaneously presenting opportunity leaders tap into pool skilled adaptable poised shape future digital landscape emerging rapidly before our eyes!
