Microsoft is supporting literally the lifecycle of a developer in the Middle East and Africa says Julien Bertin, Azure Business Lead for Middle East and Africa for Microsoft.
From the time you graduate to the time you retire literally. At every single step of the journey, we have programs to re-skill yourself. Microsoft is fully embracing this journey with the different programs we are launching. Like student certifications. If you are coming out of university and looking for jobs we do placements as well.
Julien made this revelation during an interview with Seth Juarez, Principal Cloud Advocate at Microsoft, for an episode of CodeStories on Channel 9. Where Seth asked Julien what Microsoft is doing to empower developers in the Middle East and Africa region.
Microsoft, Julien notes is one of the first cloud providers to invest in development skills on the African continent. With the launch of two development centers in Kenya and Nigeria.
This enables us and the people in the region to create the skills and generate the value here in the region for Africa.
We want to accelerate digital transformation and the capture of wealth that comes out from digital information. We want to invest in infrastructure, skilling(students and non-graduate students) and enabling innovation in the region.
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Microsoft is introducing a two-day virtual event aimed at beginners in tech. The event dubbed Start. Dev. Change. targets beginners that are looking to learn new software development skills.
The virtual event is scheduled to take place on October 14 and 15 starting at 3 pm GMT each day.
The Start. Dev. Change. sessions, Microsoft says will be applicable to anyone who wants to learn code. With basic computer skills being the only requirement needed. The virtual event will feature introductory level sessions on code development and no-code development tools such as Microsoft Power Platform.
The sessions will include training on multiple programming languages, intro to databases, intro to cloud, cybersecurity, power apps, power automate, power BI, etc.
Our goal is to enhance your technical skills by setting you up for success with the right tools to help you improve in your current job. Or prepare you to change careers and move into a technical role.
The event designed for beginners in tech will feature Microsoft Partner Program Manager, Scott Hanselman, as the keynote speaker. Other speakers include Microsoft Cloud Advocates April Speight, Cecil Phillip, Cassie Breviu and Dona Sakar.
RSVP to participate in the event and check the event page for other resources to get you started.
Some of these software engineers took to social media to share the one-year anniversary package they received from Microsoft. Check out some of the posts below. Thereafter we will look at how far the company has come on its journey with the continent.
Africa is a unique opportunity … we are opening these development centers … where you see people who are very qualified for the kind of work we do
Phil Spencer, executive sponsor of the Microsoft ADC
Microsoft in Africa
Microsoft has been operating in Africa for the past thirty years. Having local offices in Senegal, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt. With South Africa hosting the oldest Microsoft offices in Africa.
However, this has mainly been on the sales side of the business. Providing consumers and organizations, mostly governmental ones with various services. The closest you could come to Microsoft workers in Africa were either through partner organizations or Microsoft employees acting as technical account managers who implement, onboard and deploy Microsoft services for customers and clients.
The launch event came off on the backdrop of a lot of backlash to self-professed Africa’s biggest online e-commerce site Jumia. The CEO had claimed a lack of local software engineering talent. Microsoft shared it believed in the growing local talent and that it was time to tap into that pool.
Our new Microsoft Africa Development Center will be at the forefront of building innovative solutions that benefit Africa − and the entire world. https://t.co/DlIrdkfMaF
Phil Spencer, Microsoft corporate vice president and executive sponsor of the Africa Development Center, and Michael Fortin, corporate vice president at Microsoft and the lead in establishing the first ADC engineering team in Nairobi, led the pomp and pageant opening ceremonies in Nairobi, Kenya and were joined by Microsoft Technical Fellow, Alex Kipman, for the Lagos launch event.
The Nairobi Microsoft Africa Development Center site software engineers contribute to building Windows and Office 365 products and services. Whilst the Lagos site software engineers contribute to building Microsoft Azure services that power new Augmented Reality experiences.
At the launch events, Microsoft executives shared the company was going to hire about five hundred software engineers by 2023, across both center sites. With plans to hire 100 software engineers by the end of 2019.
We reached out to Microsoft for the latest updates on the Microsoft Africa development centers and haven’t gotten any feedback as at publishing this. We will bring you updates when Microsoft responds.
Microsoft Build 2020 is taking a new format this year. One of the many features of this year’s digital event is the Community Connections experience. Through these experiences, Microsoft will be hosting small group discussions that relate to the local developer community in Africa. The Microsoft Build Africa community connections experience sessions will discuss opportunities, details of upcoming events and the Microsoft Africa Development Center for African developers.
There will be three related Microsoft Build Africa community connections experience sessions.
Connect with Microsoft in Africa and your local dev community Join your local Microsoft team for a fun-filled community meeting as we talk about hot tech, opportunities for developers on the continent and some spicy details on upcoming events for African devs. Thursday, May 21, 2:00 AM – 4:00 AM GMT
Expert Q&A: The Road to Power Africa Join Microsoft’s Africa Development Centre Engineers to learn more about what it’s like to be part of the ADC team. Join them as they chat about what it takes to be a Microsoft Engineer, their day-to-day life and what you can do to get started. They are joined by Microsoft’s Developer team who will cover some amazing developer events coming up and what you can do to improve your skills as a developer. Be sure to join!! Thursday, May 21, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM GMT
Global Social Entrepreneurship Program Learn how Microsoft Global Social Entrepreneurship is enabling social entrepreneurs via technology, access to Grants and customers. Celina Lee, CEO, Zindi will share how she is mobilizing data scientists in Africa on Azure, creating job opportunities and bringing the community together. Wednesday, May 20, 7:30 PM – 8:00 PM GMT
To participate in the Microsoft Build Africa community connections experience, register for Microsoft Build 2020, for free. Then RSVP to the sessions.
Let’s know if you are excited for Microsoft Build and Microsoft’s focus on Africa.
Delivering on a promise, Google announces the launch of its first Developer Space on the African continent. The space similar to the Microsoft Reactor will serve developers, entrepreneurs and startups across Africa. It will be based in Lagos, Nigeria and co-located and in partnership with Impact Hub.
In 2017, then Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai visited Nigeria and made a number of promises. These include extending the Google digital skills training program, from one million to ten million people. Providing one hundred thousand Africans with mobile developer training. The Launchpad Accelerator Africa program and a space to house its efforts in Nigeria.
Google says the Developer Space will provide a hub where entrepreneurs, developers, mentors, VCs and investors can connect and collaborate. The hub will also house the Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa program.
Onajite Emerhor, Head of Operations Launchpad Accelerator Africa, Google, says this about the space.
Starting today, members of the African tech community can use this Space for free. In addition to housing Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa, the Space will support developer meetups, training, experts office hours, Women in tech events, Startup programs (outside of Launchpad), partner events that support the wider entrepreneur and developer ecosystem, as well as Google initiatives for empowering people through digital skills training.
Africa’s startup ecosystem is growing and we’re looking forward to working with startups and other players in the ecosystem from across the continent at the Space, continues Onajite.
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