Knowledge Exchange Centre bridges tech skills gap with free digital training

…trains 100 youths

Oluwatosin Ogunsanya, executive secretary, Knowledge Exchange Centre (KEC), has expressed the commitment of the organisation to bridge technology skills gap with the free digital skill training of youths.

Speaking recently in Lagos at the Orientation Ceremony for the GAP Digital Skill programme, Ogunsanya said for the digital skill programme, they are admitting 100 young graduates across the country to participate in their graduate advancement programme.

Read also: How Immanuel nurtures African tech talent to drive digital transformation

He explained that they started the programme in 2015, to help graduates bridge the skills between what employers want and the skills that employees lack, adding that they are focusing on digital skills, “and we have been in it for the past three years. The skills we are focusing on is on social media management.”

He remarked that the 100 persons that were admitted into the programme, would be mentored by 25 professionals across the digital marketing industry in Nigeria, alongside one or two persons abroad.

According to him, “They are going to through three months programme in addition to their social media marketing programme, so they have an eight weeks social media marketing programme, six weeks on mentoring and three weeks of job readiness training. In addition, to the digital marketing training programme, we will teach them how to get a job and keep a job. We will equip them with problem solving and critical thinking skills. So, this is the start of the three months journey that will end in May.

“A lot of employers are undertaking digital transformation of their business. Employers need digital savvy employees, and graduates need to understand that we are in a digital transformation age, so they need to get digital skills.

“Also, there is problem solving; no employer wants an employee that they will teach how to solve problems. They want a situation where they give you a job, and you are able to provide the solution to the problem.

“So, what employers wants is problem solving skills, digital savvy and critical thinking.

“Employers wants people are very adaptable because the world is changing, new technologies are coming up, people are willing to learn, and able to handle technologies so we are not worried about re-training our staff every two years because of new technologies. So, the top skills are critical thinking, problem solving, digital savvy, curiosity and adaptability.”