The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) partnered with Nigeria’s Weevil Company, a futuristic technology consulting company, to upskill 400 Young Nigerians in Data Science.
The initiative, which played out in Lagos, aims to curb the high rate of unemployment in the country and contribute to Nigeria’s grassroots technology base. Nigeria’s unemployment rate at the time stands at 33 percent according to Statista and is estimated to rise in the coming years.
Mr Promise Igwe, Head of Talent Acquisition at Weevil Company, spoke to newsmen explaining the core objectives of the project. He stressed the true nature of unemployment in Nigeria, which he believes is not necessarily a lack of education, but mostly a skills gap issue.
” For some, the problem is not a lack of education, but a lack of the skills and confidence needed to secure decent employment. Also, with the advancement in technology, the demand for manual labour has experienced a decline as the demand for digital skills rapidly increases. In view of this, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ Nigeria), alongside the Federal Ministry of Labour, partnered with Weevil Company on a skills acquisition project to train 400 young Nigerians on Data science and other digital skills such as Cybersecurity, Web development, and Graphic design. The training started on the 8th of August 2022 and ended on the 2nd of September 2022. The training was aimed at reducing the rate of unemployment in Nigeria by equipping youths from low-income communities with practical and job-ready digital skills, namely data science, web development, cybersecurity, and graphics design, which would boost their prospects in the labour market. Mr Igwe said
The Primary Focus of the training, according to Igwe, was young Nigerians with a technology inclination who are currently unemployed. A total of 400 beneficiaries were upskilled in the event and were presented with certificates. Mr Igwe, in an official statement, outlined the deliverables and routine of the Initiative.
The statement reads: “The program showcases, with considerations regarding conduciveness, time, and quality learning, the 400 participants were divided into 100 participants per course. They were trained in 2 batches (Batch A and Batch B). Batch A for each course was held from Monday to Friday for 4 weeks between the hours of 9:00 am and 12:00 pm, with 50 students in attendance for each course and a total of 200 students in attendance. Batch B for each course was held on Mondays to Fridays for the 4 weeks between the hours of 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm with 50 students in attendance for each course and a total of 200 students in attendance.
Initiative Impact
The Weevil head of talent acquisition concluded by stating the achieved impact on the exercise and the souvenirs that were given to the participants after concluding the exercise.
“To conclude the training period, the last week of the training was reserved for projects based on what they have learnt. To encourage the best students from each class, Weevil company allotted a prize to the best student in each course. Assessment for this challenge was overseen by the project manager and the tutors. At the end of the time given for completion, the best participating students from each course were picked based on assessment. Each of these students was rewarded with: Hewlett Packard (HP) laptop; Internship opportunities; and Resources for further learning.“Weevil Company complied with the requirements of the complete educational process by issuing a Certification of Completion to each of the 400 participants. In addition to the certification, training resources and freelance opportunities were also provided to all the participants to further develop the skills acquired from the training.
About Weevil Company
Weevil Company is a future-focused and purpose-driven technology consulting company focused
on data analytics and digital transformation for organisations.
The Company’s purpose is to use technology for widespread human benefits, solve complex problems, and drive progressive businesses to make a great impact on the planet.
