Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, grants $2 million to WeThinkCode to equip 12,000 Africans with artificial intelligence expertise by the year 2026.
WeThinkCode, a South African tech academy, has received a significant boost in its mission to bridge the AI skills gap on the continent, thanks to a $2 million grant from Google.org. The goal is to train 12,000 learners in South Africa and Kenya by 2026, with a focus on empowering unemployed youth from low-income, peri-urban, and rural communities.
The funding will be used to expand WeThinkCode's AI training programs, which offer tuition-free, aptitude-based training in artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative aims to address the critical workforce skills gap in AI, a transformative technology that is set to revolutionize industries worldwide.
The program will be delivered through two main streams: AI for software engineers and AI for non-tech careers. The former will target 6,000 aspiring and early-career engineers, equipping them with AI-powered programming tools and workflows. The latter, on the other hand, will aim at 6,000 students and junior employees across various sectors such as law, education, and healthcare, helping them integrate AI into routine administrative duties.
Nyari Samushonga, CEO of WeThinkCode, stated that the grant from Google.org will guarantee that young people, irrespective of their socio-economic status, acquire the skills necessary to contribute to and influence the digital economy in impactful and relevant ways for years to come.
The program will also leverage existing collaborations with companies in financial services, telecommunications, and tech consulting to showcase participants' new AI skills, thereby boosting their employment opportunities.
To facilitate both in-person and remote learning, WeThinkCode plans to upgrade its Learning Management System (LMS). The upgrade will include provisions for local language support, ensuring that the training is accessible to a wider audience.
WeThinkCode, a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing high-quality tech education to individuals underrepresented in the industry, has expanded to multiple locations in South Africa, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. The grant will further support WeThinkCode's expansion of training programs into Kenya.
Haviva Kohl, senior program manager at Google.org, described AI as a "transformative technology" and noted that the funding will help open doors for African youth to gain AI skills that enhance their employability and stimulate inclusive innovation across the region.
In conclusion, this expansion plan backed by Google.org funding is a strategic effort to empower unemployed African youth with critical AI capabilities, enabling them to participate actively in the digital economy and address a critical workforce skills gap in South Africa and Kenya.
The funding received from Google.org will allow WeThinkCode to broaden its AI training programs, focusing on both software engineers and non-tech careers, thereby fostering education-and-self-development in artificial intelligence. This transformation in technology will equip 12,000 learners in South Africa and Kenya, regardless of their socio-economic background, with the skills necessary to drive digital economy growth and bridge the AI skills gap.
