CNCF, Andela Partner to Train 20,000+ African Tech Professionals

The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) and Linux Foundation Education have partnered with Andela to upskill African technologists in cloud-native skills.

Focusing on foundational knowledge and skills in Kubernetes and the wider cloud-native ecosystem, the collaboration aims to train 20,000 to 30,000 individuals over the next two to three years. 

Participants of the free training will have the opportunity to prepare for the Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) and Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) certifications, which are recognized industry credentials.

“This partnership showcases the global impact of CNCF’s education programs. By standardizing cloud native knowledge, developers across the globe can confidently work toward certifications that will enable them to land developer positions both within their own countries and globally,” said Chris Aniszczyk, CTO at the CNCF. 

“By partnering with Andela, which has a long history of training technologists in Africa, we see great opportunity in providing our training to communities that may otherwise not have access. Together, we can create a win-win for companies that need workers and workers that need opportunities.”

According to Google’s Africa Developer Ecosystem Report 2021, the increased global demand for remote tech talent, which was accelerated by the pandemic, created more remote employment opportunities for African developers.

Now, 38% of African software developers work for at least one company based outside the continent.

”We are excited to partner with CNCF to extend training and, ultimately, enhance job opportunities for African workers. The continent is emerging as one of the most important markets in the world. It has the fastest-growing population of developers, and its young workforce will be key to solving the tech talent shortage,” said Carrol Chang, Andela CEO. 

“Organizations are looking for talent with advanced skill sets like AI and cloud-native, and this particular skill set is a perfect addition to the Andela marketplace.”

Training participants will take six to nine months to achieve the KCNA and CKAD certifications and will be selected from Andela’s talent marketplace, which includes 150,000 technology professionals globally, with a large percentage from Africa. 

Andela’s talent marketplace in Africa spans 49 countries, including Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana. 

The company fosters an active community for marketplace participants and has worked with numerous companies, including Google, Meta, Microsoft, AWS, and Nvidia, to train talent in technologies that offer vast workplace opportunities.

The need for cloud-native developers continues to increase and a recent study by CNCF revealed that almost 55% of developers landed a new job as a result of training and certification courses. 

Almost 7 in 10 (67%) said it made them feel more engaged and fulfilled in their work. However, 8 in 10 (81%) also said cost prevented them from completing certifications. 

“As a non-profit focused on growing open source and cultivating the IT talent needed to sustain it, partnerships – like this one with Andela – help us train and certify underrepresented groups, which is crucial to both our long-term success and amplify our impact,” said Clyde Seepersad, senior vice president and general manager of Linux Foundation Education.

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