Job ready JKUAT, Microsoft ADC curriculum to start in September 2023

Job ready JKUAT, Microsoft ADC curriculum to start in September 2023

The Microsoft Africa Development Centre (ADC) and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Department of Computing have reviewed the university’s Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Bachelor of Computer Technology curriculum to make them more relevant to industry demands.

The new curriculum will impact the delivery of 128 units within the university’s Computer science and Computer technology courses. The curriculum is expected to start with the September 2023 students intake.

The updated curriculum will assist in preparing students for the demands of a rapidly changing technology industry by emphasizing practical skill development and simulating real-world experience within the classroom. In addition to a refreshed approach to traditional technological concepts, the reviewed curriculum will introduce new and innovative concepts, including Applied Machine Learning, Virtual Reality, Quantum Computing, and User Experience Design, as well as industry-standard tools at the education level to improve student’s familiarity with them as they enter the workplace.

digital skills with new microsoft jkuat curriculum

Catherine Muraga, the Managing Director at Microsoft ADC said that they are delighted to have partnered with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in the curriculum review process and have their experts contribute specialized knowledge that will allow for tech industry-ready students and use of improved standards of teaching. Globally employable Kenyans boost Kenya’s attractiveness as a destination for technology companies looking to invest here. The startup ecosystem, local businesses, and entrepreneurs working on transforming technology will also benefit.

The curriculum review process is part of the ADC’s larger goal of catalyzing digital transformation by providing opportunities for skill and practical knowledge acquisition to equip Kenyans to be competitive in the global digital landscape.

The review process has been extensive, with invaluable insights and recommendations from experienced industry experts that will add significant value to classroom instruction. We look forward to providing our students with best-in-class education that integrates practical skills building and theoretical understanding as they prepare for success in the technology industry,” said Dr Lawrence Nderu, Chairman, Department of Computing at JKUAT.

Similar curriculum review initiatives will be implemented at other institutions of higher learning as part of efforts to bridge the ever-present gap between industry and academia, particularly in the technology sector.

We believe that by partnering with educational institutions, from primary school to the university level, we can help create a future workforce equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a digital age. We look forward to working with other institutions of higher learning to develop curricula that will improve the whole technology talent pipeline and grow the pool of tech talent in the country to benefit the whole ecosystem,” added Ms Muraga.

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

Check out other Microsoft stories making the news across Africa and the Middle East region.

Microsoft launches student hackathon, targets solutions for the health sector

Microsoft launches student hackathon, targets solutions for the health sector

University students from across Kenya and some parts of Africa can now apply to participate in season 4 of the Microsoft Africa Development Centre’s (ADC) Game of Learners (GOL) student hackathon competition. The GOL initiative provides an opportunity for African university students, aspiring software engineers, and solution builders to improve their technical and coding abilities while creating solutions to current challenges facing the continent and the world.

GoL student hackathon Season 4

In this year’s student hackathon competition, participants will be working to develop possible technology solutions that can address different health challenges, including how to improve healthcare service provision in their localities or other parts of the world. The program runs as a 5-week hackathon with teams captained by Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors crafting the innovations while receiving technical training from Microsoft’s professionals.

student hackathon gol microsoft

Since we launched Game of Learners four years ago, we have seen incredible development in the learner’ skills through each season as they create incredibly clever solutions to some of Africa’s pressing problems using Microsoft technology,” said Ruth Ferland, Senior Program Manager at ADC, and the founder of the Game of Learners Program. “This year’s theme will allow the participants to plug into an area that has enormous potential to impact lives across the continent and indeed around the world.”

The students will benefit from the instruction of 32 coaches and more than 20 advisors who will guide them through the process of learning new technologies and building their solutions. The coaches, mentors, judges, speakers, and trainers will consist of volunteers from Microsoft and partners, who for season 4 will include PSI and AMREF Health Africa.

Winning teams

At the end of the season, the winning team will be eligible for awards, including collaboration with GOL Season 4 partners to advance their solution and entry into the Microsoft Imagine Cup, where they will present their innovation on a global stage.

student hackathon Game of Learners hackathon logo

This partnership with Microsoft is part of a larger initiative to increase the talent pool of individuals working in Digital Health across Africa”, said Martin Dale, Population Services International’s (PSI) Global Director of Digital Health. “There is so much talent graduating from our universities and Game of Learners is a great opportunity for students to dig in and create solutions that make health care more accessible to all.”, he continued.

Speaking about the initiative, Samuel Weru, AMREF Health Africa Group ICT Director, challenged students to apply for the program and be part of the drive towards creating home-grown solutions for Africa’s challenges.

As a continent that has historically had serious healthcare challenges, we need the kind of ideas that can only come from the youth to revitalize healthcare service provision. There are myriad opportunities ranging from health informatics and telemedicine to big data analysis and system security for the learners to explore. We are eager to work with the teams to create solutions that have the potential to change Africa and the world,” said Weru.

GoL Season 4

In total, Season 4 will have 16 teams, each made up of 4 learners, 2 men and 2 women, drawn from all over the continent. The virtual student hackathon competition is open to students of accredited universities and colleges in sub-Saharan Africa, who will be vetted as per the requirements after submitting an online application.

The program is designed to provide a fun, hands-on learning experience while creating a virtual environment that transcends borders to allow young minds to collaborate and drive the advancement of Africa into a global innovation hub. Having gender-balanced teams further ties into our mission of promoting diversity and inclusion within the tech industry,” explains Ferland.

Like a sports league, each 5-week season of Game of Learners follows up with a month-long season of GOL Clinic and GOL exhibitions to accord individuals seeking deeper hands-on technical experience and specialized training from Microsoft and GOL partners.

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

Check out other Microsoft stories making the news across Africa and the Middle East region.

Microsoft is offering a free Data Science course to help you with your Data Science Career

Microsoft is offering a free Data Science course to help you with your Data Science Career

Azure Cloud Advocates at Microsoft are offering you an opportunity with a free Data Science course to get on track with a Data Science Career. It features a 10-week, 20-lesson curriculum on Data Science. Each lesson includes pre-lesson and post-lesson quizzes, written instructions to complete the lesson, a solution, and an assignment.

The course lets you build projects as you learn, which the Advocates say is “a proven way for new skills to ‘stick’. “I hope this curriculum helps you reach your data-focused goals“, the team shares.

free Data Science course for beginners made with sketchnote with other details

The free Data Science course teaches you how to deal with data. How you can get, store, process, and make sense of data. You will also learn how to train, deploy, and consumer model in Azure.

Students will be able to get free certification vouchers through the Microsoft Student Hub page. By verifying your enrollment at an accredited academic institution.

Check out the course here for more information or open it in GitHub here https://aka.ms/datascience-beginners.

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

[jetpack_subscription_form show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Subscribe to get updates right in your inbox” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true” success_message=”Success! An email was just sent to confirm your subscription. Please find the email now and click 'Confirm Follow' to start subscribing.”]
New Microsoft Skills for Jobs Learning Pathways program brings 350 courses, 6 career certificates

New Microsoft Skills for Jobs Learning Pathways program brings 350 courses, 6 career certificates

Microsoft is introducing a new Skills for Jobs Learning Pathways program that brings free access to 350 courses and six career essential certificates. This program builds on the success of the Microsoft global skilling program which has since reached over 80 million people worldwide with digital skills. With the company seeking to increase access to digital and foundational skills.

In Kenya, the global skills program has impacted an estimated 189,000 people, with 4,471 Kenyans completing the Learning Paths through the initiative. The Microsoft Skills for Jobs Learning Pathways program is focused on ensuring that economic opportunity is inclusive. So that job seekers all over the world have access to the skills, technology, and opportunities they need to succeed in a changing economy.

LinkedIn, Microsoft and GitHub logo's on background showing company offering Skills for Jobs Learning Pathways mapped to jobs

Digital transformation has accelerated across all industries, resulting in the creation of new tech and tech-enabled jobs and driving economic growth. However, Microsoft has discovered that skills alone are insufficient for people to obtain the jobs they desire, particularly in the most in-demand positions. People, particularly those changing careers, must be able to demonstrate these skills to hiring managers.”

Phyllis Migwi, the Microsoft Kenya Country Manager.

The Microsoft Skills for Jobs Pathways provide people who have been excluded from the digital economy with in-demand foundational, role-based, and technical skills, certifications, and connections to jobs and opportunities.

As part of the new initiative, Microsoft and LinkedIn will provide free access to 350 new courses and easy-to-follow learning paths, as well as six Career Essentials Certificates for six of the most in-demand jobs. The courses will be available in eight languages, including English, French, and Arabic, to help job seekers showcase their skills to employers and land jobs.

LinkedIn learning pathways for several in-demand roles and the skills needed

Microsoft Skills for Jobs Learning Pathways

Microsoft is helping learners prepare for tech and tech-enabled roles with new learning paths and certificates for some of the most in-demand roles in the digital economy including Administrative Professional, Project Manager, Business Analyst, Systems Administrator, Software Developer and Data Analyst,” explains Migwi. “To ensure a better fit for learners, the company has invested not only in unlocking content but also in developing content for each of the career essential certificate paths.”

Foundational Skills will be established through three new learning paths: digital literacy and productivity, soft skills, and entrepreneurship. For learners progressing from Foundational Skills to the next level, there are six career certificates available.

The courses combine the knowledge from experts in the field, Microsoft product expertise, and a purposeful building of introductory courses. All the courses are available on LinkedIn at opportunity.linkedin.com.

In addition, Microsoft-developed courses are also available on Microsoft Community Training (MCT) and in downloadable format for use on other Learning Management Systems (LMS) for partners. Microsoft is also collaborating with 200 nonprofits around the world, governments, intergovernmental organizations, foundations, and other private sector partners. It is estimated that by 2025, Microsoft will help train and certify 10 million people with new skills.

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

[jetpack_subscription_form show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Subscribe to get updates right in your inbox” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true” success_message=”Success! An email was just sent to confirm your subscription. Please find the email now and click 'Confirm Follow' to start subscribing.”]
Microsoft to train and support Moroccan student developers, startups, SMEs

Microsoft to train and support Moroccan student developers, startups, SMEs

Microsoft is partnering with the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) to provide Moroccan student developers, startups, and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with training, resources, and technology.

Microsoft and UM6P will develop a curriculum to skill up Moroccan student developers to prepare them for the job market. Startups incubated at the UM6P startup campus will get access to technology, markets, and investors. Morocco-based startups will also get access to the Microsoft for Startup Founders Hub and the Microsoft Entrepreneurship for Positive Impact program.

The partnership, UM6P says “will provide multiple audiences with stronger access to technology and upskill startups and SMEs with valuable digitization skills“.

Moroccan student developers

Looking forward to the positive impact that we jointly can and will deliver to learners, jobseekers, SMEs, and startups“, says Salima Amira, Microsoft Morocco General Manager, speaking about the partnership.

We are convinced that by increasing the number of qualified young professionals and empowering startups and SMEs to achieve sustainable growth, we will contribute positively to the growth of the digital economy in Morocco and across Africa.”

Salima Amira

UM6P will also identify and enroll SMEs in need of digitization support as well as provide them with access to independent software vendors (ISVs) and Microsoft’s Airband initiative.

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

[jetpack_subscription_form show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Subscribe to get updates right in your inbox” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true” success_message=”Success! An email was just sent to confirm your subscription. Please find the email now and click 'Confirm Follow' to start subscribing.”]
2022 Imagine Cup Junior AI for Good Challenge winners

2022 Imagine Cup Junior AI for Good Challenge winners

Microsoft is announcing the winners of the 2022 Imagine Cup Junior artificial intelligence (AI) for Good Challenge. The competition is an extension of the Microsoft Imagine Cup world championship. Targeting junior and secondary school students aged 13 to 18. It encourages educators to embrace new technologies like AI and machine learning and then provide these experiences to their students. It also seeks to help students develop skills like communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.

Students learn the fundamentals of AI and Machine Learning as well as the application of AI in real life. They also learn Deep Learning, Neural networks and AI for Good.

2022 imagine cup junior AI for good challenge winners

Out of thousands of participants from across the globe, ten teams are global winners. Submitting creative ideas that look to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges using the power of AI.
Out of thousands of participants from across the globe, ten teams are global winners. Submitting creative ideas that look to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges using the power of artificial intelligence (AI).

At Microsoft, we’re always impressed by the creativity in the solutions submitted by the future generation of students. Every student who took part brought their heart to their projects, which really came through to all of the judges.”

Rick Herrmann, Vice President Worldwide Public Sector Education

Here are the top 10 global winners and their creative concepts.

2022 Microsoft Imagine Cup Junior AI for Good Challenge winners

ARISE, Nepal.
ARISE is an AI-driven interactive application promoting accessibility for chemistry laboratory equipment using motion and augmented reality.

AutoCrab, Hong Kong.
AutoCrab is an AI sensor to monitor and regulate water quality in hairy crab aquafarms.

Clean Up Crew, Australia.
Clean Up Crew is an all-in-one AI device that collects and sorts waste materials into appropriate categories for proper recycling.

Earthatarian, United Kingdom.
Earthatarian is an AI-powered application to reduce food waste by predicting the ‘actual expiry’ of stocked food items and monitoring food consumption.

HACKRR, Philippines.
WTFact is a fact-checking browser extension that utilizes AI to detect fake news and make internet users aware of online mis- and dis-information.

NeuSparks, China.
NeuSparks uses Azure AI and Machine Learning to transcribe folk music recordings into digital format (MIDI) that can be easily transmitted and assist in sheet music creation and re-composition.

Sea Waste Scavengers, Indonesia.
This AI concept is a ship fully powered by electricity from hydro and solar energy that tracks, locates, and captures plastic garbage and delivers it to a recycling plant. 

SkyLine Humanitarian, Vietnam.
This AI-integrated mobile application connects hospitals and blood donors by blood type while encouraging potential new blood donors by spreading awareness.

Team Sensory Metaverse, India.
Sensory Metaverse is a VR concept with a headset and a body suit that helps users not only see but feel virtual reality.

VORA, United States.
VORA is a visual object recognition aid for the visually impaired.

Interested in starting a journey of learning AI? Check out these helpful resources: Microsoft Learn for StudentsMakeCodeMinecraft Hour of Code AI tutorial, and Hacking STEM. For students older than 16 who want to take their learning even further, register for the Imagine Cup Collegiate Challenge and apply to be a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

[jetpack_subscription_form subscribe_placeholder=”Enter your email address” show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Hi,
sign up so you can get the latest
in breaking news, reviews,
opinions, events,
opportunities and
community updates right
in your inbox. ” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]