Wollo University will host the new AppFactory at its institution of technology campus, the Kombolcha Institute of Technology (KIoT).
By Staff Reporter (Ventureburn)
IT graduates and related computing discipline graduates at Ethiopia’s Wollo University will be able to access a six-month internship, where they will work on real-world software development projects with senior software engineers.
It follows the launch by the Center for Global Health Equity (CGHE) [of Tulane University], and Microsoft 4Afrika of a new AppFactory Academy in Ethiopia.
In a press release to Ventureburn, Microsoft 4Afrika said on completion of the internship graduates will be able to design, implement and deploy cloud-enabled, mobile and IT solutions in various sectors. They will also be equipped with critical business skills helping them to secure jobs or create their own businesses.
This is the ninth Microsoft AppFactory to be launched in Africa, with eight others in South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda and, recently, Ghana. To date, over 300 software system developers have graduated from the AppFactories, with 90% of these graduates having since been placed in jobs.
“Across Africa, public and private sector organizations are finding it difficult to recruit capable software engineers,” said Lutz Ziob from Microsoft 4Afrika. “Many end up resorting to hiring expensive expatriates, or spending lots of money on in-house training.
“Yet there are hundreds of local IT graduates who are either unemployed or underemployed, because they are deemed unqualified for these high paying opportunities. The AppFactory is bridging the competency gap for these graduates, so that they are able to take on these kinds of opportunities the day they leave the AppFactory Academy,” he said.
Wollo University will host the new AppFactory at its institution of technology campus, the Kombolcha Institute of Technology (KIoT). Each year, it will set projects based on different sectors, from healthcare to education, agriculture, air transportation and others.
KIoT scientific director Ahmedin Mohammed said the academy will focus on certain sectors each year, to ensure there are large enough number of quality graduates in various disciplines, who can innovate and solve problems that advance the social good and improved livelihoods.
Read the complete story at Ventureburn
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