Google hits one million mark in training Africans

Google has announced that it has reached its goal of training one million Africans as part of its Digital Skills programme.

The Mountain View company said it reached its goal a month early, having committed to training one million Africans within a year on 16 April 2016. The company has added that it’s set a new target.

The tech company also revealed that it will provide offline versions of its training materials to people and businesses in areas of low access where it’s not possible to hold physical training sessions.

“Additionally, Google will provide offline versions of the content in languages like Swahili, IsiZulu and Hausa,” Google wrote in an emailed statement to Memeburn.

The company’s Digital Skills Programme offers 89 courses, with 14 training partners (across 20 nations) offering face-to-face training. Google explained that it will add “web-focused skills training” for SMEs across the continent as part of the programme.

Google’s Digital Skills Programme has reached a million Africans, offering 89 courses in total

“We’ve been committed for years to help local businesses thrive online, as they are meaningful and crucial partners in our economy,” says Google South Africa country director Luke McKend in the statement. “Through our different initiatives, a number of small businesses have been helped. Our tools and technologies are simply enablers for anyone who wants to build a global business to connect with new customers or share their creations. Whether it’s a dressmaker who plans on expanding worldwide through the tools technology provides them, or a content creator finding hundreds of thousands of viewers on YouTube, we hope this helps them grow.”

“Having one million digitally skilled young people in Africa is good for everyone. If young people have the right skills, they’ll build businesses, create jobs and boost economic growth across the continent,” says Bunmi Banjo, Growth Engine & Brand Lead, Sub-Saharan Africa.

“As we expand this initiative to hard to reach areas across the continent, we hope to see more impact in everyday lives of Africans.”