A total of 2014 women and girls have been admitted into the Class of 2024 of the Women Techsters Fellowship. The program, an initiative of the Technology for Social Change and Development Initiative (Tech4Dev), aims to bridge the digital and technology divide between men and women within the tech ecosystem.
Now in its third year, the Women Techsters Fellowship, is a one-year tuition-free technology learning and upskilling program for young girls and women aged between 16 to 45 across 22 African countries. The program is designed as a comprehensive learning experience, consisting of six months of intensive training followed by a six-month internship phase.
Oladiwura Oladepo, Executive Director at Tech4Dev explained that the Women Techstars Fellowship held physical orientation for its class of 2024 to bring the women together physically rather than virtually it has been known for. The orientation aims to bring the women together and kickstart their journeys in the tech industry. After the orientation, the fellows will undergo six months of intensive training, followed by either six months of internship or incubation for those interested in starting businesses. The program also provides mentorship and support for the participants. The Women Techstars Fellowship has had a successful track record with eight out of every 10 graduates landing jobs.”
The Women Techsters Fellowship offers training in a wide range of highly in-demand tech skills, including Mobile Development, Software Development, Product Design, Product Management, Cybersecurity, Data Science/ Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Blockchain, and Mixed Reality/3D. Graduates of the program are expected to be well-equipped to pursue entry-level tech roles upon completion of the intermediate program.
The 2014 beneficiaries were admitted into the program across 35 African countries. The program which was originally proposed for 22 African countries received multiple entries from more than 40 countries across the continent.
Nigeria tops the list of countries with the most beneficiaries 1669 while Kenya is second on the list with 119 admitted beneficiaries. 59 beneficiaries were admitted from Ghana, Uganda 35, South Africa 25, Ethiopia 17, Egypt 15, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and Rwanda had nine beneficiaries while Zambia and Tanzania both had eight beneficiaries apiece.
She added, “We are empowering African women with resources and skills to access decent job opportunities within the future of work space as well as the right skills and support structure for every woman to start and scale technology businesses. What brings us close to our vision is equipping women with digital and life skills that foster economic prosperity financial freedom and sustainable develop.”
The Women Techsters Fellowship not only empowers women and girls with valuable technical skills but also serves as a crucial step toward gender equality in the tech industry. Tech4Dev’s dedication to bridging the gender gap and fostering diversity within the technology sector is evident in the increasing number of participants and the impactful outcomes the program continues to achieve.
The founder Shecluded, Ifeoma Uddoh expressed her love for the initiative and efforts to get women into tech because technology is the basics for the first industrial revolution. “This means that many of them will have the opportunities to be able to get high-paying jobs and to also be plugged in the action. So, it’s very commendable work and I am so proud of the Tech4dev team and all their partners for this. I love the fact that they have a community that will propel them when they are tired because the road to success can be tiring so knowing that they have each other is very inspiring and the motivation will be useful for them”
Microsoft President for Africa, Lillian Bernard also encouraged the women to take advantage of such golden opportunity to enhance and further their career in the tech ecosystem.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Ibilola Kasunmu who was represented by Deputy Director, Remi George Ashiru congratulated the women and encouraged them to embrace challenges, collaborate, and seek mentorship. “This orientation ceremony marks the beginning of an incredible journey filled with growth and opportunities”, she said.