Partnership to Train 30,000 African Technologists on Kubernetes Sparks Career Growth & High Demand

Technology is evolving faster than ever, leaving many companies and technologists struggling to keep pace. 

This challenge inspired Andela, the Linux Foundation Education, and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) to join forces in 2025 to launch an ambitious initiative — training 30,000 African technologists on Kubernetes and cloud native skills.

The Kubernetes African Developer Training Program provides open access to one of today’s most sought-after cloud native skill sets and addresses the growing need for Kubernetes and cloud computing talent.

So far, the results have been inspiring as noted in our latest case study with CNCF:

• 5,600 learners from 46 African countries completed the eight-week training.
• Over 1,900 participants earned official Linux Foundation certifications.
• Many participants transitioned into roles such as DevOps, platform engineering, and site reliability—often within weeks. This rapid employment reflects the strong market demand for Kubernetes skills and the program’s alignment with industry needs.

The hands-on training, combined with expert mentorship and comprehensive learning materials, ensured that graduates gained not only theoretical knowledge but also real-world experience, making them highly attractive to employers.

Early feedback shows that those who landed new roles after certification also saw significant salary improvements, underscoring how access to in-demand skills can create life-changing opportunities.

“Andela’s mission is rooted in the belief that brilliance is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not,” says Andela CEO, Carrol Chang. "At Andela, we're preparing the technologists of the future who are not just trained to code but to lead in environments where cloud, AI, and orchestration intersect. This program helps us to move faster, to bring that kind of talent to the world and to our clients." 

Real stories, real impact

This partnership addresses the global tech talent shortage while creating new pathways for career growth. The Linux Foundation’s 2025 State of Tech Talent Report notes that 59% of organizations are understaffed for cloud computing roles and 53% plan to increase public cloud adoption. Yet for many African technologists, high certification costs and limited access to global learning platforms can still block access to new opportunities.

The Kubernetes African Developer Training Program addresses all of those challenges. The ultimate success of the first phase of the program is apparent in the personal stories of the technologists who participated. 

•   Allan Mogle secured a role as a junior platform engineer after earning the KCNA certificate. By leveraging his fresh Kubernetes knowledge in his interview, “the hiring team came to the conclusion ‘hey this guy knows a lot about Kubernetes, we have to hire him.’“ Allan is now the Kubernetes expert for new hires at his new job.

•   Timilehin Oyelakin, a DevSecOps Engineer in Nigeria, used the program to upskill her Docker containerization concepts. Since completing the program, Timilehin's responsibilities have increased significantly. Multiple job offers came after certification, and she plans to pursue skills certifications while also launching a cybersecurity mentorship program for Africans. Her advice to other technologists reflects the program's impact: "The moment you stop reading, taking exams, and building skills, you'll be left behind. I believe so much in upskilling after this program that I am planning to earn my Kubernetes and Cloud Native Association (KCNA) certification before the end of this year.”

Other participants likewise benefited from the training knowledge in terms of new job offers, new confidence, and the ability to spread their learnings to others. 

•   William Akoto, a DevOps Engineer, earned his KCNA certification through the program, landed a junior DevOps engineer position, and has since become a mentor, volunteering with Africa’s ALX community to help other beginners in cloud computing. "I want to build software to solve my community's problems. My work is no longer about building to get rich. It's building to help others.”

•   Simret Yibeltal, based in Ethiopia, completed the program while unemployed. A month after earning her KCNA certification, she secured a DevOps engineer position at a local Ethiopian company where Kubernetes is now applied daily. She hopes to use her success to help other women enter the world of tech: "I would love to bring more women to the field because I know there are many that have the capacity but they don’t get the opportunity, especially in Ethiopia,” she says.

Building the program

The initiative began with a pilot designed to test the curriculum and learner support system.  Linux Foundation Education and CNCF agreed to support Andela’s pilot program by providing 135 participants with complimentary access to: 

• The Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) exam
• The Kubernetes and Cloud Native Essentials (LFS250) course
• The Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) exam
• The Kubernetes for Developers (LFD259) course

Learners engaged in self-paced online training (8–10 hours per week), hands-on labs, interactive assignments, and received 12 months of platform access.

Following the pilot’s success, the program expanded with additional foundational courses, webinars, expert-led sessions, and mock exams. Only learners scoring above 80% received official exam vouchers—ensuring preparedness and high pass rates.

Beyond skills: strengthening communities

Beyond career advancement, the program has broader social impact. By enabling technologists to build meaningful careers without leaving their home countries, it helps strengthen local economies and the global open source community.

"This partnership provides an important opportunity for communities in Africa to easily access, and benefit from essential, cloud native training and certifications,” says Chris Aniszczyk, CTO at the CNCF. "This creates a win-win for companies that need employers and developers in Africa seeking local opportunities.”

The partnership also supports the mission of Linux Foundation Education to “sustainably grow the open source community by providing access to quality training and certification for the skills the tech community needs to thrive," says Clyde Seepersad, Senior Vice President and General Manager Education, Linux Foundation. 

Looking ahead

The Kubernetes African Developer Training Program has already transformed thousands of careers and demonstrated the power of accessible, high-quality tech education. Strong completion rates, high certification success, and rapid employment outcomes prove that this model works.

As the program scales toward its goal of training 30,000 technologists, the partnership between Andela, Linux Foundation Education, and CNCF continues to bridge the global talent gap—empowering the next generation of cloud native professionals across Africa and beyond.

To read the full case study, please click HERE.

Applications for the next cohort opens soon. Stay informed through the Andela Learning Community.