Microsoft & Zindi partner to boost hopes of Tech talents across Africa

A ground-breaking partnership between Zindi and Microsoft is bringing lasting hope to the future of tech talents across Africa.

This partnership aims to train 10,000 young people across the continent in data and Al skills. The project will begin with the training of 150 trainer leaders from within the Zindi ambassador network who will further disseminate knowledge and skills in their communities across the continent.

Most importantly, the goal of this partnership is to create new work opportunities. As these young people get certified, they will be connected with the organizations, start-ups, corporates, and NGOs both in Africa and globally that are in need of these critical skills.

At the MOU signing at GITEX Africa which is underway in Marrakech, Morocco, Co-founder and CEO of Zindi, Celina Lee, was elated about the impact the partnership will have on the transformation of technology on the African continent.

“We are particularly excited about the practical learning opportunities this partnership will offer, as our community will be able to gain the skills demanded by the market now, including cloud computing and generative Al. The Generative Al challenge that will be launching soon on Zindi supported by this partnership is a prime example of the cutting edge yet practical Al skills the community will gain,” she emphasised.

She continued, “In this challenge, participants will use Generative Al to develop systems for Location Mention Recognition from microblogging posts during emergencies-a critical task that can support disaster relief efforts in real time and save lives. These are the types of innovative and solutions our community will be able to build.”

According to her, Zindi’s vision is to make Al and data science accessible to everyone as the company believes in the transformative power of data and Al to drive economic growth and create opportunities for all.

Microsoft on the other hand, touted the partnership as a game changer for Africa considering the potential contributions of startups to Africa’s economy thereby increasing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“It is an important opportunity for creating entrepreneurship. AI is here to stay and so we need to accelerate to ensure that everyone benefits from this opportunity. Looking forward to seeing the results of this partnership, and I know it will yield enormous benefits,” President of Microsoft Africa, Lillian Barnard stressed.

Launched in 2018, Zindi and Microsoft are like-minded partners who are 100% committed to Africa, and who also understand the global importance of equipping young people on the continent with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world.

About Zindi

Zindi is the leading professional network of data and Al practitioners in Africa with a community of 70,000 developers, engineers, and scientists building their skills while growing their networks and connecting with valuable career opportunities.

The post Microsoft & Zindi partner to boost hopes of Tech talents across Africa first appeared on 3News.

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