With digital transformation accelerating in most countries, Africa needs a highly-skilled workforce, which is experienced with concrete projects, to achieve the much-awaited fourth digital revolution.

Last Tuesday, Africa to Silicon Valley (A2SV) announced it secured funding from Google to implement its project aimed at boosting tech talent in Africa.

The foundation explained that the funding will support the establishment of a "permanent office in Ethiopia and hire more heads of education and a product manager."  "The goal is to expand A2SV’s presence to Ghana and upskill 330 more students in Ethiopia and Ghana over the next two years, building a pool of highly trained, industry-ready candidates who have experience with real-life projects," it adds.

“Aspiring software developers in Africa lack access to experienced mentors and job opportunities. Academic education fails to equip them with the skills they need in real-world contexts. We address this gap through our rigorous training program comprising daily classes, boot camps, and real-life projects," said  Emre Varol, A2SV founder and head of executions.

According to a report by consultancy firm Korn Ferry, the global tech ecosystem could experience a shortage of over 85 million workers by 2030. With 400 million young people aged between 15 and 35, Africa has the youngest population and can help fill that gap if its talent pool is built in time.

Africa to Silicon Valley was founded in 2019. Its priority is to build the best talent pool. It offers a rigorous training program that prepares candidates for interviews with leading tech companies. The said program covers aspects like algorithms and data structures, soft skills, and real-world projects.

Samira Njoya