The Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce(NBCC), has identified technology as a veritable tool in boosting employment.
Driven by a desire to bridge the knowledge gap and equip young people with requisite tech skills, the NBCC graduated its first set of students; Cohort 1.1 from its Tech Academy.
The chairman, Technology Committee, NBCC, Mrs. Solape Akinpelu said, ‘It is pleasant memories of the past and great expectations for the future.’
Akinpele stated that, the main impetus for the academy’s establishment was the desire to bridge the gender gap in the tech sector.
She pointed out that, despite the sector’s expansion, it is yet to impact the unemployment rate, which has increased from 32.5 per cent in 2021 to 33 per cent in 2022.
She noted that the first cohort of the tech academy kicked off on July 4, 2022 with more than 50 participants, both male and female.
She specifically acknowledged the main sponsor which was PwC and the other sponsors and partners, including; Dataflex Nigeria Limited, Department of International Trade, HerVest, The Nest Innovation Park, CWG, and Heckerbella, for their invaluable support.
According to her, “The fact that we had more applications from the gentlemen further highlights the need to be more purposeful in drawing more women to STEM fields.”
Preparing them ahead of the task in the coming years, CEO, Crestsage Limited, Charles Uche Emembolu encouraged them to be proactive, work for impact, continue to learn, network, volunteer, communicate, be consistent, and stay on track. He further emphasised the need for them to seek out mentors for career guidance.
Of the initial 50 students that went through three months of intensive training in Data analytics; Product Management; and UI/UX Design, 30 of them successfully graduated after fulfilling all necessary requirements.
Edeze Chibueze Peter, one of the participants stated that, “the Nigerian-British Chambers of Commerce Programming Academy provided me with the opportunity to view the business. The confidence I gained from the program, and the professional marketing value with prospective employers are unparalleled. The value was worth the rigorous processes.”
Delivering the Valedictory speech on behalf of his colleagues, Frank Okafor stated that, “months before the training, we had little or no knowledge about the programme we were about to be engaged in. We walked into this room as novices with little or no experience, but today we have been equipped to take over the world of tech.”
The Tech Academy was established to mentor and train young people in Nigeria, particularly women, in order to provide them with the necessary technical skills as part of the chamber’s effort to promote economic growth and accelerate the adoption of technology.
The next cohort of the NBCC Academy is scheduled to commence in March 2023.
