Miss.Africa Digital Program recently caught up with Ms. Amanda D’souza, Business Manager, CodeInn; a subsidiary of Notonlab Company which was legally registered in Kenya in 2015. Notonlab software company seeks to innovate and solve community problems using technology with a mission to mission is to innovate, educateand impact. Their vision is to train 1000 women and girls in computer programming and equip them with necessary technical skills for the job market and business world in the next 12 months. She speaks about their program in our interview below
1. Can you tell us about this project that has applied for the 2019 Miss.Africa Digital Seed Fund Awards?
CodeInn is a computer programming training school that seeks to innovate, educate and impact the lives of young people by equipping them with the right technical and business skills. Our vision is to train 1000 women and girls in computer programming and prepare them for the job market and business world in the next 12 months. At CodeInn, we provide anyone with the opportunity to learn how to make mobile apps, websites or become a data scientist, regardless of their qualifications or prior experience, because we believe the future of work and technological advancements are more or less the same thing. After completion of 3 months training program, our students automatically join the Codeinsiders club where they are mentored, linked to job and internship opportunities and accorded the opportunity for peer to peer learning.
2. What are some of the challenges you are trying to address with your project?
The tech space is currently a male-dominated field, with the number of men working in it being more than double the number of women. Furthermore, there is a gender pay gap, with women earning far less than their male counterparts. With this in mind, our training program seeks to empower women with the technical skills they need to succeed in the current job market.
3. How are you bringing innovative approaches to these problems?
In addition to our training program, we have also launched the Codeinsider club, a student-driven club that seeks to empower techies in business through peer-to-peer learning and regular mentorship, and the possibility of internship/job placements.
4. How does it feel to gain international recognition for your work?
We are excited about the opportunity to tell our story on an international scale. This means a lot to us because a lot of people will learn about our mission to bring positive change. We anticipate new partnerships, collaborations and a significant increase in the number of people we shall impact through this recognition.
5. Can you explain why skills for women in tech is so important?
Technical skills such as Web design, UI/UX design and data science are important for women as they will help them to differentiate themselves and become more valuable candidates for employers, especially in a field that experiences a lot of gender disparity. Furthermore, they can leverage on these skills to negotiate better salary packages or start their own businesses.
6. What in your opinion should be done to address the digital skills gap in Africa?
It is important to invest in training for the workforce. Learning programs should be tweaked so that they can encompass digital skills in addition to soft skills. Computer science training schools like CodeInn offer customised and hands-on training to students, which is designed to effectively prepare them for to meet current business challenges.
Amanda D’souza, Business Manager, CodeINN
CodeInn, a subsidiary of Notonlab Company which was legally registered in Kenya in 2015.
Notonlab software company seeks to innovate and solve community problems using technology with a mission to mission is to innovate, educateand impact. Their vision is to train 1000 women and girls in computer programming and equip them with necessary technical skills for the job market and business world in the next 12 months.