The ‘Tech 101’ digital skills training program by The RootHub, a Business Accelerator System based in Akwa Ibom State has surpassed its 10,000 trainee target.
“Tech 101” is a training program designed to equip the youths in Nigeria with digital skills, it provides the needed technology skills in ample amounts while empowering them to access a vast employment opportunity and advance their career paths while stimulating self-reliance in entrepreneurship.
Worthy of note is that the program is delivered at no cost to the beneficiaries domiciled in 12 Communities of the country’s Niger-Delta region and they include; Akwa Ibom State, its operational base, Rivers, Cross River and Edo States.
In its early stage, the program had reached 3,630 youths before entering a partnership with the global tech giant, Google for its Impact Challenge in November 2018. Over one year, this brought the number of trainees to a whopping 11, 365 youths, surpassing the initial 10,000 targets.
The participants were cut across secondary school leavers, University Students, business people and youth corp members, with the oldest participant being an 85 years old clergyman, Rt. Rev. Dr Udo Ekpenyong – Prelate Emeritus of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria.
“I’m not here to get a job but to learn how to operate the smart device my daughter acquired for me, because it is too complicated. I am usually saddened each time members of the men fellowship in church disseminate information via the WhatsApp platform of which I don’t belong to.”
However, his expectation for Tech101 training was to change this narrative and after the first session on computer literacy, Grandpa testified: “I just sent a text message to my daughter and called my wife. The phone isn’t too complicated. The ‘Jet-Age’ has come, but I am behind it and I want to go back to it. I’m only interested in the information technology offers”.
During the “Tech 101” training programme, there has also been positive feedback from the trainees; “I’m a beneficiary of tech101, and my three weeks in the training was awesome. I’m looking forward to the advance classes”, says Emanuel Reuben
With enthusiasm, ObongEti writes:
“I’d like to say a very big THANK YOU to Tech101 once again for equipping me with some 21st-century problem-solving skills to stay relevant & ahead. I feel super relevant and very contributory to the association. Thank you for that feeling. I can only imagine what it will feel like having advanced wings to fly in what I will title “My Graphics Evolution. God bless!”
Aniebiet Writes with gratitude:
“On a personal note, having leveraged this timely opportunity by the Roothub, I have become useful in my church, fellowship & in the organization which I belong to. I’m now called upon to design a flex for programs, seminar and the likes do these I create wealth for myself”.
Beyond the use of computers, trainees are taught how to use their mobile devices in the absence of laptops to improve their business visibility on social media. “It has been an awesome experience, never knew I could a lot of stuff on my phone without a PC. God bless Salvation Ministries and The Roothub. Thank you so much”, says Tamunoibim Toby after the 1-week training in Port-Harcourt
More so, through this program, many have moved from being unemployable to becoming employees while others have improved on their service delivery to clients.
Tech 101 is currently on a break to allow the organisers review and improve on the program ahead of another round of training in the last quarter of 2019.
As Published on Hypestationng.com
