The Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT,) has announced its partnership with IBM to provide free digital skills to groups of youths from African and Middle East countries.
Among the eight countries that have been selected include Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi, Ghana, Jordan and Lebanon which will contribute a total of at least 40,000 youths to attain the training.
However, upto 70% of the selected population through the eight countries are expected to be women since women in developing countries are 50% less likely to be connected to online platform.
These youths shall be selected by local governments which DOT will work with and subsequently, they will attain the skills offered by the IBM free Open P-TECJ’s (ptech.org) career readiness curricular.
The training is aimed at providing young men and women with digital skills, workforce readiness proficiencies, and the business knowledge needed for successful careers, social wellbeing and economic growth
Hence the learners shall attain knowledge in foundational technologies to be applied in various industries ranging from Al, Cloud computing and cyber security, as well as professional workplace needed skills such as design thinking, teaming and presentation.
DOT revealed that this training is necessary because of the margin that was created by Covid-19 which dragged the youth backwards.
“The pandemic has laid bare the gaps and inequitable access to the digital literacy, employment and entrepreneurship skills that youth require to innovate, compete for jobs, or start businesses in a digital economy,” informed DOT.
Therefore, this training is meant to change the trend for both the youth and also the women who hardly have any access to the internet hence remain unconnected to it so as to change and better their lives.
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“Providing career skills to youth, particularly young women and those from under-resourced communities, can be life changing,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM Vice President and Global Head, Corporate Social Responsibility.
As she additionally said, “With resources like IBM Open P-Tech bolstered by the efforts of organizations like Digital Opportunity Trust, we aim to advance equity and create access to opportunity.”
