Germany’s Digital Africa set to train undergraduates for IT sector

German software company SAP and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) plan to jointly create 450 jobs for personnel in the IT sector in ten African countries, among them Kenya.

The collaboration was presented in Berlin on July 2 by German Development Minister Gerd Müller and SAP Executive Board member Michael Kleinemeier.

The programme targets unemployed university graduates who will undergo a three-month training, followed by assistance to help them find jobs in local companies.

Countries set to benefit from the programme are Algeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia.

According to a statement by SAP, these countries have great potential for jobs and growth in the digital sector, but lack well-trained specialists who can support companies and institutions as they introduce and operate software products.

“The project addresses this bottleneck,” SAP said, adding that its first phase will start this year in Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Tunisia and Nigeria.

“Africa’s young people need opportunities for the future – and they urgently need jobs that are viable and that help close the digital divide and make headway on development. To that end, we have to seize the great opportunities offered by digital technology,” said German Development Minister Gerd Müller.

SAP Executive Board Member Michael Kleinemeier said, “Giving young people digital skills and IT training will create jobs and boost growth in Africa,”

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