Google trains one million Africans in digital skills

Google has announced that it has reached the one million milestone in its Digital Skills programme. On April 16, 2016, the company said it is committed to training one million Africans on digital skills within a year. And last week Friday, it confirmed that it has reached its target early, and has set itself to train even more Africans in digital skills in the coming year.

In addition to the new target, Google is extending its commitment to the Digital Skills programme by assisting local communities further in several ways. First, Google will provide offline versions of its online training materials to reach individuals and businesses in low access areas where it is unable to hold physical training sessions. Additionally, Google will provide offline versions of the content in languages like Hausa, Swahili and IsiZulu.

The Digital Skills programme offers 89 courses through the online https://digitalskills.w ithgoogle.com/ portal, and Google works with 14 training partners covering more than 20 countries to offer face to face training. The programme will also be addressing needs for small business owners, who are looking to better understand how to take advantage of the web across Africa. Google will add web-focused skills training for SMEs across Africa as part of this initiative.

The Web is a driver of economic growth, and is transforming society as a whole. People must be equipped, through training and reskilling to make use of the tools, and take advantage of it for entrepreneurship, employment and e-inclusion,” says Google Nigeria country Manager Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor. Our goal with this and previous web training initiatives is to enable more people across the continent better understand how to leverage the Web tools for growth – to give them access to better employment and/or the skills to start their own businesses. A digitally skilled Africa is good for everyone – for our economy, for entrepreneurs and individuals. And yes, good for internet companies like Google.

“Having one million digitally skilled young people in Africa is good for everyone. If young people have the right skills, they’ll build businesses, create jobs and boost economic growth across the continent,” said Bunmi Banjo, Growth Engine & Brand Lead, Sub-Saharan Africa.