The “IBM Digital – Nation Africa”, is a “free to access” cloud-based learning platform offering digital skills development. It is designed to enable up to 25 million African youths, aged 11-34, over five years, with an aim to provide the workforce with skills required by the industry, and to create new knowledge based jobs.
The program covers key digital skills, divided into 4 areas:
- Explorers: Acquire skills in fundamental digital competencies, enabling the student for work, employment, leisure, education and participation in society.
- Innovators: Empowering people to leverage the digital world to find and implement innovative solutions to the challenges identified in their community, country, or region. This section is likely to connect to “Startups” to drive the creation of new companies and employment opportunities.
- New Collar: Local industry is requiring existing and future employees to have new digital skills for the organization to grow and continue to be successful. “New Collar” is a term used by IBM to describe new kinds of careers, associated with these skills. This section will help users to identify their skill gap and through a personalized curricula provided by the D-NA program, they will acquire a new set of skills.
- Startups: Focused on helping new companies acquire the skills needed for their business to grow, and a platform to help promote their solutions.