Andela, the global talent marketplace for technology professionals, has announced a partnership with the Cloud Native Computing Foundation to train 20,000 African technologists in cloud-native basics.
In a statement issued on Monday, Andela disclosed that the initiative, launched in collaboration with Linux Foundation Education, is aimed at equipping participants with the skills required to excel in global technology roles as demand for cloud-native development grows.
Cloud-native refers to the foundational principles, tools, and practices used to design, develop, and deploy applications in cloud computing environments.
The company, whose diverse talent ecosystem spans over 135 countries, stated that the free training program is scheduled to begin next year and will span two to three years.
Participants will have access to foundational cloud-native courses and the opportunity to prepare for industry-recognised certifications, including the Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate and the Certified Kubernetes Application Developer.
According to Andela, these certifications are designed to validate participants’ knowledge and skills in Kubernetes and the broader cloud-native ecosystem, positioning them for success in the competitive global tech market.
The CTO at the CNCF, Chris Aniszczyk, stated, “This partnership showcases the global impact of CNCF’s education programs. By standardizing cloud native knowledge, developers across the globe can confidently work toward certifications that will enable them to land developer positions both within their own countries and globally.
“By partnering with Andela, which has a long history of training technologists in Africa, we see great opportunity in providing our training to communities that may otherwise not have access. Together, we can create a win-win for companies that need workers and workers that need opportunities,” he said.
According to Google’s Africa Developer Ecosystem Report 2021, the increased global demand for remote tech talent, which was accelerated by the pandemic, created more remote employment opportunities for African developers.
Now, 38 per cent of African software developers work for at least one company based outside the continent, the search engine giant report stated.
The CEO of Andela, Carrol Chang, stated, “We are excited to partner with CNCF to extend training and, ultimately, enhance job opportunities for African workers.
“The continent is emerging as one of the most important markets in the world. It has the fastest-growing population of developers, and its young workforce will be key to solving the tech talent shortage.
“Organizations are looking for talent with advanced skill sets like AI and cloud-native, and this particular skill set is a perfect addition to the Andela marketplace,” Chang noted.
