Andela to revolutionize cloud native computing in Africa
19th November, 2024
Global talent marketplace for tech professionals, Andela and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) have announced a partnership to equip over 20,000 African tech professionals with cloud-native skills, starting 2025.
The company made this known in a statement issued on Monday, 18th November, 2024. Andela disclosed that the initiative, launched in collaboration with Linux Foundation Education, is aimed at equipping participants with the skills required to excel in global technology roles as demand for cloud-native development grows.
The CEO of Andela, Carrol Chang, stated, “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.
“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,” Chang noted.
The chief technology officer at the CNCF, Chris Aniszczyk, had this to say, “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.
“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,” he said.
This on-the-house training programme aims to prepare participants for certifications in Kubernetes, an open-source tool for automating and managing containerized apps, and cloud-native technologies, opening doors to global remote job opportunities.
The training focuses on two key certifications: Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) – foundational knowledge for Kubernetes and cloud-native ecosystems. Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) – skills to design and deploy cloud-native applications.
This is a game changer for minority groups in tech, with the cost of certifications skyrocketing as the demans for cloud-native developers grow.
This initiative supports Africa’s rapidly growing developer community, which is essential as global demand for tech talent surges. Andela has been in the limelight for nurturing African talent. Now it has gone further to build on its success, already training 15% of Africa’s 716,000 cloud engineers
CNCF sees this as a mutually beneficial situation. Companies need skilled workers, and African developers need more opportunities. Participants will take 6–9 months to complete the certifications, with selections from Andela’s 150,000-strong talent marketplace, spanning 49 African countries.
