y:
Robert Kwaku Annor
Google has launched Skilling
Africa with Google, a free digital learning platform bringing together its
digital and artificial intelligence (AI) training programmes, with the ambition
of equipping three million people across Africa with digital and AI skills by
2030.
Charles Murito, Google's
Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, Government Affairs and Public Policy,
announced the launch, describing the platform as an opportunity to expand
access to digital learning and prepare Africans for emerging employment and
business opportunities.
The initiative comes as
Africa's workforce is expected to account for more than a third of the global
workforce by 2050, positioning the continent as an increasingly important
source of talent.
According to Murito,
unlocking this potential starts with providing people with access to the right
tools and learning opportunities.
The platform is designed to
serve different categories of learners, including young people preparing for
their first internships, individuals exploring new career opportunities and
entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses.
Built with African learners
in mind, Skilling Africa with Google features a mobile-first, data-lite design
and supports offline learning to improve accessibility for users with limited
internet connectivity.
It also incorporates an
AI-powered Study Buddy to assist learners throughout their training and an
interactive Skill Tree that enables users to track their learning progress.
Google's ambition to equip
three million people with digital and AI skills by 2030 is aimed at creating
opportunities for employment, improving earning potential and supporting
entrepreneurship across the continent.
Murito said the initiative
was intended to translate Africa's growing workforce potential into individual
opportunities, including securing first jobs, increasing earning potential and
creating new businesses and innovations.
The platform brings Google's
digital and AI learning programmes together in one place, allowing African
learners to explore available training opportunities and develop skills
relevant to the evolving digital economy.
