AltSchool Africa Is A New Initiative By TalentQL
AltSchool Africa is a new initiative by TalentQL
AltSchool Africa was officially launched today, October 21, 2021, by TalentQL, an African tech talent startup. After launching Pipeline, a mentorship and upskilling program for senior developers, the program is the startup's latest attempt to build a pipeline of tech talent.
As Africa's technology ecosystem has developed, a number of organizations have sprung up to provide startups with technical talent. Following an initial focus on developing entry-level talent, led by Andela, the demand for senior talent forced the training of entry-level engineers to take a backseat for a period of time due to a lack of available resources.
This has the consequence that, as senior engineers improve in their respective fields, they become more valuable to startups outside of Africa. Local startups face an uphill battle in their efforts to attract the best talent because they lack the ability to compete on compensation with these foreign startups and the option to relocate.
This is the problem that TalentQL is attempting to solve with AltSchool Africa. Nine months of training in software development would be followed by a three-month internship for those who completed the program. At the conclusion of the course, they are awarded a diploma certificate. In order to issue these certificates, the startup is currently collaborating with the University of Michael and Cecilia Ibru in Rome, Italy.
The Skills Certification Program
In an interview with Techpoint Africa, Adewale Yusuf, co-founder and CEO of TalentQL, revealed the reason for the company's certificate distribution program. "It is because many people who are qualified but unable to apply for certain opportunities because they lack a certificate that we are awarding diplomas to these individuals. A certificate and skills training are being provided as a result of this decision."
There is no requirement for applicants to have a technical background, and the program is open to anyone over the age of sixteen. Additionally, there are no tuition fees; however, participants must submit a $20 (10,000) application fee to be considered for participation.
Following the submission of an application, the applicant will be provided with a study kit that will assist them in preparing for the evaluation. The goal is to ensure that those who are admitted are not only intelligent, but also tenacious in their pursuit of their goals. It is possible to study front-end engineering, back-end engineering, and cloud engineering in one of three educational tracks.
It is entirely possible to complete the instructional mode on the internet. Aside from that, the startup hopes to harness the collective wisdom of the community to assist students in their educational pursuits. Members of a group who live in the same area can get together on a regular basis to learn from one another and exchange ideas through a process known as "Community Peering Learning."
"There will be a significant amount of self-education required. Our first step will be to engage in online learning, and then we'll move on to a process known as community pairing learning. For example, if you are from Osun State, we will arrange for residents of Osun State to meet and learn together a few times a month as part of the program. Additionally, we've structured the program so that you can participate even if you're employed or enrolled as a student."
Demand for software developers is expected to grow by 22 percent between 2020 and 2030, which is significantly faster than the average growth rate of 4 percent for all other occupations, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This presents both a unique opportunity and a unique challenge for the development of Africa's technological talent.
Start-up entrepreneurs on the continent have already begun battling to retain employees who are being courted by Western corporations. Consequently, it is critical that a consistent pipeline of candidates be developed to fill the void left by those who leave the company.
Starting a company is not a rush to hire entry-level engineers, as Andela's pivot demonstrated, and startups prefer to hire senior engineers over junior engineers.
And, unlike Andela, which retained engineers on its staff, AltSchool intends to train only software engineers. How will these graduates gain the experience necessary for advancement to senior engineering positions?
Secure A Job Before Payment
As an alternative to charging a fee, the startup would implement an income sharing agreement (ISA), similar to the one used by Lambda school. The result is that students are only required to pay once they have found a place to call home.
Yusuf explains that internships are one way to assist them in gaining experience while also receiving support until they find work in the real world. He expressed the hope that participants would perform well enough during their internships to be offered permanent positions after they finished their program.
The exploration of partnerships with organizations such as Enye, a non-profit that connects developers with entrepreneurs seeking to build out their products, can assist these individuals in gaining valuable experience. In addition to allowing the developer to gain product development experience, it also provides the founder with access to certified talent in the field.
Another advantage of enrolling in AltSchool is that it provides a well-organized educational program. This is particularly important given the fact that the vast majority of African software engineers are self-taught. However, while this is commendable, they frequently fail international client tests, which presented a challenge for TalentQL when matching senior engineers with international clients.
During your conversation with Yusuf, you will get the impression that AltSchool Africa is more than just another entrepreneurial venture for him; it is a mission for him.
