Vodacom Lesotho Foundation invests M800 000 to develop in-demand skills for Basotho
8th, March, 2022 – Maseru. The Vodacom Lesotho Foundation, Vodacom Lesotho’s charitable arm, announced today that they are partnering with Udacity, the digital talent transformation platform, to provide 50 Nanodegree program licenses to Basotho. The licenses which are valued at M800 000 will be given to Basotho between the ages of 22 and 35 years of age and will enable the successful applicants to access material for the most in-demand tech opportunities such as Programming for Data Science with Python and Business Analytics.
The aim of this new scholarship opportunity, jointly funded by the Vodacom Lesotho Foundation and Udacity, is to bring job-ready educational opportunities to Basotho in the tech sector.
“The critical differentiating factor with Udacity’s Nanodegree programs is that it provides training, education, and experience using in-demand skills that Basotho can develop more quickly compared to education through traditional certification programs,” explains Mr. John Matlosa, the Vodacom Lesotho Foundation’s Board Chairman. “Being part of a technology company, digital career transformation is at the top of our agenda. This collaboration offers an opportunity to help bridge the digital skills gap, offering Basotho youth access to developing much-needed digital skills and thereby increasing their employability and stimulating career growth. We envision that this collaboration will help develop a more representative workforce in Lesotho, particularly in today’s top tech jobs.”
Another vital factor that sets these educational opportunities apart is that the learning material developed for these courses is designed to incorporate real-world projects which must be completed. This gives the learner both theory and practical application of the subject, enabling them to be more ready to enter the workforce and be functionally capable of performing well.
The courses are aimed at students, regardless of their current role or educational status, who are looking to improve or change their career trajectory. The courses are available online and have flexible accessibility, with 24-hour support from mentors. The 50 scholarships will cover subjects such as cloud computing, programming, artificial intelligence (AI), and data science and will run over a period of 8 months.
Applications opened today, 9th March 2022, and will close on April 20th, 2022
