As part of plans to showcase the talent pool in Africa, Microsoft through its University Recruiting program and Africans at Microsoft is hiring final-year students and recent university graduates from across Africa into full-time engineering roles at Microsoft. The Microsoft African University Recruitment Program for recent graduate engineers will provide successful candidates with relocation to the USA and Canada.
Interested persons who will like to apply should have recently graduated from the university or will be graduating by 2023. Here are the qualifications you will need to meet.
Open to relocating to USA or Canada
Pursuing or recently completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, computer science, or related field.
One year of programming experience in an object-oriented language (C, C#, C++, Java, Python).
Ability to demonstrate an understanding of computer science fundamentals, including data structures and algorithms.
Activities that will give you an edge include experience building software outside of the classroom environment like an internship, hackathon, or research project. As well as showing the ability to work in a team and effective time management.
Microsoft started the program in 2017 dubbed Africa to Redmond; Hack for Africa. For its first iteration, Microsoft University Recruiting and Africans at Microsoft selected five universities on the continent to recruit from. University of Nairobi (Kenya), University of Lagos (Nigeria), Ashesi University (Ghana), Makerere University (Uganda), and University of Cape Town (South Africa).
The Microsoft Team is organizing free virtual resume workshops to help interested persons prepare for the application process. Where they will provide information on Microsoft’s recruitment program, share tips on how to make your application stand out, and answer your questions. The free resume workshop will take place at different times depending on your country. Here are a few below:
During the workshop, Microsoft recruiters will share more on the recruitment process. But it usually takes place in three phases and will look something like this. It starts with an online coding challenge. A panel will then review the entries and select applicants for the next stage. The selected candidates will have an in-person or virtual interview. Finally, a successful candidate from the three steps will join Microsoft for a full-time position. The candidate will be assigned to an engineering team once they accept the offer.
Don’t forget to kindly share this opportunity with your friends or anyone this might help so they don’t miss out.
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Microsoft through its African University Recruitment Program is hiring final year students and recent graduates from Ghana for full-time software engineering roles and will be providing successful candidates with relocation to the United States and Canada.
Interested persons who will like to apply should have recently graduated from the university or will be graduating by 2023.
Here are the other qualifications you will need to meet.
Open to relocating to USA or Canada
Pursuing or recently completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, computer science, or related field.
One year of programming experience in an object-oriented language.
Ability to demonstrate an understanding of computer science fundamentals, including data structures and algorithms.
To help interested persons prepare for the application process, the Microsoft Team is organizing a free virtual resume workshop. They will also provide information on Microsoft’s recruitment program, share tips on how to make your application stand out, and answer your questions.
The free resume workshop will take place from 6 – 7:30 pm GMT on Saturday 20th August 2022. The link to join the session will be provided after you register, link: http://aka.ms/ghtomicrosoft.
Don’t forget to kindly share this opportunity with your friends or anyone this might help so they don’t miss out.
If you have any questions about the event, feel free to contact Ivy Barley on Twitter.
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Every good work done deserves an acknowledgement or reward and Microsoft recognizes technology experts who passionately share their knowledge with their community by honouring them with the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award. The MVP award spans over 100 contribution areas in 11 award categories across developer and IT Pro products and services technology areas including open source.
The Microsoft MVP global community has over 4,000 technical experts and community leaders across 90 countries who support in the advancement and adoption of Microsoft technologies. Out of which 56 recipients are awarded in nine African countries. South Africa and Nigeria record the highest number of MVPs with 16 each, followed by Ghana with 8. Egypt has 5, 4 in Morocco, Mauritius and Tunisia with 2 each and Senegal, Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire with 1 MVP each.
Before the year 2019, even though there were Microsoft MVPs in Africa and the Middle East region, there weren’t any from Ghana. This however changed when Abou Conde founder of the Microsoft User Group Ghana community got awarded in the Azure category. The situation has improved over the past few years with Microsoft turning its focus and commitment towards Africa. The number of award recipients in Africa has since increased from 32 to 56. Ghana now has eight Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals across five award categories. Microsoft Azure, AI, Business Applications, Data Platform, Developer Technologies and Office Apps & Services.
Here below are Ghana’s Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals passionately sharing their knowledge with the community. Read on to get to know them, and follow and contact them on their channels.
Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals Ghana
Abou CONDE – Award category: Microsoft Azure
Abou is a Senior Cloud & Infra Security Consultant in Avanade’s Security Talent Community based in Paris, France. He was awarded the first MVP in 2019 before moving to France in August 2021 to join METSYS as a System Architect and then Avanade. He lived and worked in Ghana as a Senior Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Consultant at Axxend. He also worked with GITS and IPMC. He became the first-ever Microsoft MVP in Ghana and Microsoft Azure MVP in West Africa.
He is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert in Cloud Platform and Infrastructure, Microsoft Certified Solution Associate in Microsoft Azure Security, and Microsoft 365 Security. He is also an expert in cloud solutions architecture, including the IaaS, PaaS, and hybrid cloud scenarios, migrations/deployments, systems administration, and virtualization.
Abou is the Founder of Microsoft User Group Ghana Community (MUGGH), Speaker, and Blogger. He is a frequent speaker and organizer at various Microsoft Azure, Cybersecurity, Microsoft 365, Windows Server Events, and other User Group conferences.
Samuel Segbornya Kodzo Adranyi – Award Category: Microsoft Azure
Samuel is a Senior Software Engineer and Technical Lead with extensive experience and knowledge in most areas of application development, data analytics, internet of things, artificial intelligence, mixed reality and machine learning.
He is an early adopter, abreast with emerging technologies, trends, patterns and architectures with applicable skills in Cloud Development, SDLC, application life cycle management (ALM) and DevOps spanning over 15 years in all phases of small to large-scale software projects.
With a strong passion for problem-solving, he loves curating and mashing up technologies from IoT, AI, ML and programming to solve the most demanding, and complex challenges you throw at him. He has built, trained, managed and coordinated dedicated, capable and technical distributed offshore teams, especially in Africa and led them to deliver beyond expectations and world-class solutions.
Aside from his technical competencies, Samuel is a community leader, Blogger, Pod-caster and Streamer. He is the Co-Organizer for the Accra .NET User Group and the Organizer of the Accra Power Platform User Group. He has a weekly podcast that highlights Africans all over the world in Technology and streams 3 times a week on IoT (IoT Tuesday – Tuesdays), General Azure and Technology (Demystify Tech – Fridays) and Power Platform (Power Series – Sundays).
Frank Arkhurst Odoom – Award Category – Developer Technologies
Frank is a software consultant, a Managing Partner at Accede and the co-organizer of the Accra .NET User Group. He loves teaching software development and contributing to the open-source ecosystem.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of the .Net Foundation with the goal of creating a strong awareness and presence of open-source .NET technology in underserved communities. He also serves as the .Net Foundation Education Committee Chairperson.
Dawuda Iddrisu – Award Category – AI
Dawuda Iddrisu is a full-stack software developer and Chief Technology Officer at BezoMoney. He is a B.Sc. graduate in Information Technology and former president of the Computer Science Society of the University for Development Studies (UDS).
He is passionate about creating innovative products and changing lives with his soft and technical skills by organizing training programs and workshops. In 2019, while still at the university, he served as a Microsoft Gold Learn Ambassador and his activities as an ambassador earned him the outstanding Microsoft Student Partner EMEA Award.
He is also an ambassador at AI Gaming and a board member of the Global AI Community.
Bernard Obeng Boateng – Award Category – Office Apps & Services
Bernard is a Microsoft Certified Trainer, Financial Modeler and Data Analyst with over 10 years of work experience in Banking, Insurance and Business Development. He is a certified Microsoft Excel Expert skilled in Business Analytics, Dashboards and building Financial models for Budgeting, Business Valuation, Scenario Planning and Investments.
He runs the Finex Project, a pro bono student training outreach program for students in Microsoft Excel, Office Tools and Financial Modeling. Bernard provides consultancy services for SMEs (start-ups and existing ones) in Financial Management, Business Planning and Research.
He has an active audience of about 16,000 followers on his LinkedIn where he shares tips and tricks on Microsoft Excel and other Office Apps.
Eric Entsie – Award Category – Business Applications
Eric Entsie is a Chartered Accountant by profession and manager at the National Health Insurance Authority with a career objective to improve business work processes through the use of information technology.
He is also a Power Platform enthusiast and a Super User in the Power Apps Community Platform. He likes to contribute to the community by providing support to users.
Thomas Festus Cudjoe – Award Category – Data Platform
Festus is a Microsoft Certified Power BI Analyst, a Google Certified Data analyst, a Chartered Accountant, and a Chartered Global Management Accountant with professional qualifications from the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK (CIMA).
He is the founder and the lead trainer at FestMan Learning Hub, a Leading Edtech firm that provides premium Digital Skills Bootcamps in Data Science, Financial Modeling, Data Analytics, UX Design, and Digital Marketing.
Festus has trained over 1500 professionals in Data Analytics, Financial Modeling, Modern Excel, and Power BI over the past 5 years. He is passionate about technology and loves sharing his experience with others.
Shadrack Inusah – Award Category – Business Applications
Shadrack is a software developer, ex-Gold Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador (MLSA) and a member of the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Low Code No Code League. He is also a Power Platform Specialist with community-building experience, assisting experts and citizen developers.
Shadrack loves to network and help students learn and build to solve a technical world problem. He also likes to mentor students for the MLSA program in Africa.
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TECNO mobile is announcing its latest premium smartphones with four new devices in the Camon 19 series. They are TECNO Camon 19, Camon 19 Neo, Camon 19 Pro and Camon 19 Pro 5G. The company will however make other variants available for other markets. To mark the launch it held a global event in New York City as it seeks to break into new markets and produce high-end devices.
With the Camon 19 Series, TECNO is focusing on improvements to the body design, performance and camera. Introducing new innovations starting with an ultraslim 0.98mm thin bezel that gives you more screen space. It also introduces a dual-ring triple-camera layout design and RGBW camera sensor + Glass technology. Which promises brilliant portrait photography in challenging low-light and nighttime conditions. TECNO says it will make Android 13 beta available on its latest CAMON 19 Pro 5G.
The company is also introducing TECNO Wallet, a payment wallet and finance app built for its devices and integrated into the CAMON 19 series of phones. TECNO Wallet will allow users to make easy and secure payments for a range of services including money transfers, airtime, data, bills, and shopping.
Pricing for the TECNO Camon 19 will vary by region and they will become available in markets by late June. The 8GB+256GB Camon 19 Pro will retail at $280. The 8GB+256GB Camon 19 Pro 5G will retail at $320. Check out the full device specifications and country-specific prices of the new TECNO Camon 19 Series below. The devices are available at TECNO accredited shops at the following prices:
In Ghana: CAMON 19 (128+4 GB)- GHS 1,490, CAMON 19 (128+6 GB)- GHS 1,699, CAMON 19 Pro (256+8 GB) – GHS 2,250 and CAMON 19 Pro 5G (256+8GB) – GHS 2,715.
Prices in Kenya: Camon 19 (128+4 GB) – Ksh 23,499, Camon 19 Pro (256+8 GB) – Ksh 33,799 and Camon 19 Pro 5G (256+8 GB) – Ksh 41,599.
Camon 19 Prices in Nigeria: Camon 19 (128+6 GB) – NGN 125,000, Camon 19 Pro (256+8 GB) – NGN 166,000 and Camon 19 Pro 5G (256+8 GB) -NGN 198,500.
TECNO Camon 19 Series Device Specs
TECNO Camon 19 specifications
OS – Android 12, HIOS 8.6
Display – 6.8-inch (1080×2460), FHD Display
Dimensions – 166.63 x 74.37 x 8.30 mm
Processor – MediaTek Helio G85 Octa-Core
RAM – 4/6GB
Storage – 128GB
Front Selfie camera – 16MP w/ dual flash
Rear Main camera – 64MP + 2MP + AI Cam, Quad Flash
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Check out other stories making the news in the technology ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East.
itel is introducing its latest entry-level and budget-friendly smartphone the A58 series. The device targets new smartphone users with a bigger screen, bigger battery and fashionable device at a cheaper price. itel is also partnering with local telcos to provide buyers of the phone with data bundles for a period.
The A58 series comes in a plastic body with three different colours to choose from. It has a 6.6-inch HD display with a 90% screen to body ratio to give you more viewing content. itel says it has a 2.5D curved edge screen design that makes viewing content on the device more immersive. The 4000mAh battery size promises to last you through a day and 27 hours of call time and 15 hours of video play. itel says its AI power master technology will give a user an extra 2 hours in power saving mode and up to 10 days in ultra power-saving mode.
The itel A58 series phones are resistant to ordinary drops, dust and moisture-proof and can handle extreme temperatures.
The main difference between the A58 and A58 Pro we know of is that the Pro version has 2GB RAM and 32GB storage compared to 1GB and 16GB in the A58. The chipsets used in the device also seem to vary across each market.
In Ghana, it starts selling at GHS 474, Ksh 8,650 in Kenya, NGN 40,000 in Nigeria, 80,000Rwf in Rwanda and UGX 275,000 in Uganda.
itel A58 and A58 Pro specifications
Dimensions
165.4 x 76 x 9.6 mm, Weight: 170 g
Display
6.6″ (1612 x 720) HD+ IPS LCD, Waterdrop Full Screen display
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Flapmax is introducing the first 12 startups to kick off the FAST startup accelerator program. The startup incubation program seeks to help strengthen and scale Africa’s digital ecosystem. In partnership with Microsoft, Flapmax’s twelve-week startup accelerator will begin on March 21st. The 12 startups come from 6 different countries, serve 9 industries, and include 2 female founders.
Flapmax says over 800 applications from 25 countries in Africa were received for the first FAST accelerator cohort. With the highest number of applications coming from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Ghana, and Egypt. Industries represented by the application pool included AgTech, EdTech, HealthTech, FinTech and more.
“Microsoft believes that African startups are well-placed to become a cornerstone of the African digital economy, with relevant solutions to local societal challenges. Participation in the FAST startup accelerator program will help these entrepreneurs capture available funding opportunities and plan for growth and future market expansion”
Gerald Maithya, Startups Lead, Microsoft Africa Transformation Office.
“In partnership with the Microsoft team, we are bringing together a unique mix of technology business and innovative entrepreneurs to build and scale societally impactful solutions that enable digital transformation across industries, as well as an introduction to cloud and AI-integration tools designed to unlock new value for their businesses”.
Dave Ojika, founder and CEO, Flapmax
FAST applicants had to be based in Africa, ready to scale or expand within the continent, and have an established product-market fit while addressing one or more Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
The first Flapmax FAST accelerator cohort features the following startups:
Capsa Technology (app.getCapsa.com) : Online platform to buy and sell invoices for businesses in Africa Nigeria | FinTech | SDG: No Poverty
Silqu (www.Silqu.com): Africa’s most advanced proptech platform in real estate and technology Kenya | PropTech | SDG: Decent Work and Economic Growth
LegitCar (LegitCar.ng): Building Africa’s biggest vehicle data service Nigeria | Automotive | SDG: Sustainable Cities and Communities
VAIS (VAIS.ai): Comprehensive precision agriculture platform powered by AI & earth observation Egypt | AgTech | SDG: Zero Hunger
Snark Health (SnarkHealth.com): Partner with your doctor. Leverage your data. Pay less. Kenya | HealthTech | SDG: Good Health and Well-being
Pade HCM (PadeHCM.com): Automated HR for all African businesses Nigeria | Enterprise Software | SDG: Decent Work and Economic Growth
K-12 EdTech (K12plus.app): Asynchronous and synchronous kindergarten to 12th-grade education app Kenya | EdTech | SDG: Quality Education
Tumaini La Maisha (www.weareTLM.org): Pediatric oncology services Tanzania | Government & Public Service | SDG: Good Health & Well-being
Taimba (Taimba.co.ke): East Africa’s First Data-Driven Food Supply Chain Platform Kenya | AgTech | SDG: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Wala Digital Health (WalaDigital.io): Digital platform for hospitals access to blood that saves lives Ghana | HealthTech | SDG: Good Health and Well-being
KaCyber Technologies (www.KaCyber.com) : Making seamless mobility a reality in Africa Uganda | Mobility | SDG: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Flapmax Learn
Flapmax also announced the launch of its new upskilling and reskilling platform, Flapmax Learn, which would be used during the twelve-week FAST program to facilitate technology and business masterclasses and certifications. The top 100 startups from the FAST applicant pool will receive complimentary access to the Flapmax Learn platform, including the accelerator learning modules and masterclasses.
Beginning March 21, the FAST accelerator cohort will engage in a broad range of activities, including training, business development, cloud & AI integration, fundraising and community-building events designed to help them scale rapidly and sustainably. Microsoft engineering team members will work one-on-one with participants on co-innovation projects ranging from product integrations to new offerings. With the help of the Flapmax engineering team, the startup founders will access new technology tools and services. Participants will benefit from up to $250,000 in Microsoft Azure cloud credits, as well as access to Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, including access to OpenAI APIs.
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