Andela and Google Team Up to Develop 40,000 Learners in Africa

According to a recent study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), some 230 million jobs across the African continent will require some level of digital skills by 2030. Here at the Andela Learning Community, we are focused on building an ecosystem that will support the growth of tech expertise, providing educational resources that empower community members to gain the skills they need to work in a technical job upon the completion of their training programs.

Over the past four years, one of our biggest initiatives has been our partnership with Google and our focus on training software engineers on the African continent. Within that time, we have trained over 70,000 engineers in Android, Mobile Web, and Google Cloud technologies.

Now, we are thrilled to announce that we are building upon the success of the Google partnership by launching a new partnership with Google and Pluralsight for the Google Africa Developer Scholarship (GADS) 2021 program. The goal of this program, much like the goal of our other programs, is to build the skills of existing and aspiring developers in order to enable them to get a job in technology after the program is over.

The Curriculum This Year

The tracks available this year include Android, Mobile Web Specialist, and Google Cloud. This year, we’re also excited to announce that Android learners will also get access to Kotlin courses. Kotlin has helped development teams increase productivity, improve app quality, and increase developer satisfaction and this will be a great opportunity for developers to level up their skills. 

Looking Back: Our Partnership with Google in 2020

Last year we engaged with over 30,000 learners in a fully remote program where they had access to online resources, a community of mentors and peers, and engagement initiatives that helped learners land job opportunities after the program or get promoted in their current roles. 

Speaking to some of our previous learners here is what they had to say about their participation in the GADS program:

"The GADS program is a great opportunity. As a software developer, I enjoyed learning how to build secure Android applications and integrate APIs. For my career, it's a huge advantage to achieve these personal goals."

- Paule Aggy Mandengue, Cameroon

"I had no experience in Android when I joined GADS but with all of the training, I could skill up to the point of passing the certification exam after just 9 months of starting Android development. It's amazing."

- Adebowale Medeyinlo, Nigeria

We are so excited to continue this partnership with Google and Pluralsight and further our commitment to growing engineering talent across the African continent.

Are you interested in being one of the 40,000 learners? Take the next step in your career and apply to GADS 2021 here.