Citylife Business

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE BUSINESS Editor-In-Chief

The facility itself is massive, well equipped with lecture classes, rooms to relax and network among students and their facilities. Giving a sense of community. This is the country’s new tech hub, launched by ALX, part of the much acclaimed African Leadership group, comprising of the African Leadership Academy a top private high school on the West Rand African Leadership University in Mauritia and The Room a community networking forum.

The launch on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, was attended by several stakeholders from tertiary education, Tech industry, entrepreneurs and the government. The key note speaker at the launch of ALX Tech hub was the Deputy-Director General of the Department of Higher Education and Training, Sam Zungu, who committed his department to collaborate with the privately owned leading initiative poised to transform the technology sector in the country as young people will be able to gain in-demand-skills of the future in the fast changing technology sector. The launch of this hub, the eighth on the continent, and the first in South Africa, is poised to bring continental shift in Tech education in South Africa.

 The global leader in technology training and skills development, ALX, calls for the removal of barriers preventing South African youth from leveraging digital transformation opportunities. The call for action aligns with this Youth Month theme for 2023, “Accelerating youth economic emancipation for a sustainable future.”

“Government, civil society and the private sector must rally to address infrastructural challenges and create opportunities for young people to acquire in-demand skills that will enable them to participate in the global digital economy,” says Divesh Sooka, General Manager at ALX South Africa (SA).

This comes as ALX, on Wednesday, announced the opening of its first ALX Tech Hub in the country.  Based in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, the ALX Tech Hub will provide an accessible co-working space to address the critical infrastructure challenges that many South African students face, most notably access to high-speed internet and stable electricity. Accommodating up to 1600 learners per day, the hub will provide an environment where students can connect with mentors, industry professionals, and other peers, fostering collaboration and innovation. 

The new facility demonstrates ALX’s mission to transform Africa by developing three million ethical and entrepreneurial leaders at an unprecedented speed by 2035 and is a tangible commitment to enabling a continental shift in tech education, harnessing SA’s abundant human capital. 

Through its Tech Hubs in eight countries across the continent, ALX is building the largest pool of trained technical professionals in Africa, thereby addressing the worldwide tech talent shortfall that is predicted to exceed 85 million people by 2030.  As part of African Leadership International (ALI), ALX is connected to an innovative ecosystem of institutions with a shared ambition to curb unemployment in Africa by enabling 2 million young professionals to secure dignified and meaningful work opportunities by 2030.

Over 85,000 learners have graduated from ALX since 2021, and approximately 85 percent of its graduates have found employment within six months of completing their training. 

“Our new Tech Hub launches our blended learning model that combines online learning with in-person training, promoting effective, innovative thinking, and professional competency development. Our experience highlights that learners show reduced drop-off and better performance when working alongside one another. We plan to eventually have ALX Tech Hubs across the country to support hybrid learning on a national scale,” Sooka adds.

Rejuvenating SA’s youth and the inner city 

Stationed in Braamfontein, a bustling inner-city hub for young people, ALX is providing opportunities for world-class digital skills and lowering barriers to employment. 

Built to foster productivity, the ALX Tech Hub will provide training, networking, and professional mentoring, developing well-rounded tech professionals equipped with not only technical skills, but also the soft skills crucial to their success in high-growth industries. 

Sooka says that ALX’s new Tech Hub and inclusive training programmes will help democratise access to tech education and further enable them to fuel SA’s active participation in the global tech revolution. Regardless of any prior formal tech background, ALX’s programmes equip learners with practical, sought-after skills, serving as a launchpad for their careers. Beyond technical prowess, their programmes focus on nurturing soft skills such as critical thinking and adaptability.

South Africa’s Youth Employment Scramble

The urgency to address youth unemployment and skill inadequacy is reflected in Stats SA’s latest quarterly employment survey, with a 1.1% rise in unemployed youths to 46.5% between Q4 2022 and Q1 2023.

“Providing SA’s youth with the skills to become a part of the digital economy will drive employment, encourage entrepreneurship and contribute to massive economic growth,” says Sooka. This shift is critical for the future of our youth and our country and is necessary to drive sustainable and meaningful participation of youth in the economy,” concludes Sooka.

 About ALX

ALX’s career-focused approach to learning aims to develop well-rounded tech professionals who are equipped with both the professional and technical skills that enable them to thrive in the most in-demand, high-growth industries. From the start of their training at ALX through to their entry into The Fellowship of  The ROOM, African Leadership International (ALI)’s prestigious tech talent community, individuals are supported throughout their career journeys, provided with ongoing access to life-long learning, mentorship, peer support and career opportunities.

With the global digitalisation of the world’s most impactful industries, developing and providing courses that address the inequalities that keep African youth locked out of the global tech boom has never been more important. Software development, cloud computing and data analytics are among the top skills areas that were in demand globally in 2022, according to the International Labour Organisation, as companies around the world rapidly evolve in response to the demands of the digital economy.

ALX addresses the global skills gap in this booming economic sector that is leaving millions of young bright minds out of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), and the incredible potential it has to transform Africa into the new growth frontier for tech.

ALX is a leading technology training provider, having enrolled over 100 000 learners across 54 African countries including its eight core markets, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, Egypt, Ethiopia and Morocco.

For more information about ALX, please visit:  https://tech.alxafrica.com/south-africa