nexum and AmaliTech train IT specialists in Ghana

This is a win-win situation: while there is a shortage of well-trained IT specialists in Europe, in some African countries there is a lack of jobs and good income. The existing infrastructure allows these talented IT workers to continue to live and work in their home country. And, in contrast for example to Asia, the time difference between Europe and Africa is not an issue.

"For business, it is essential in this rapidly changing global digital market to move resources into other regions and to establish an international network in order to both operate as a global player as well as to minimise geographic risk," explains Georg Kühl, CEO of nexum AG. AmaliTech und nexum are currently providing continuing vocational education and training on web-based cloud systems, such the Salesforce Commerce, Sales and Service clouds, to 25 participants. The aim of this continuing vocational education and training and of the engagement is that the IT experts can be actively involved in client projects and support international developer teams in the implementation of sophisticated platform projects. For both parties involved, the opportunity is also created to extensively share specialist knowledge across national boundaries, to expand this knowledge and to develop an international network.

Skills gap: in future 9 out of 10 jobs will require digital skills

Each quarter, 75 trainees on the IT/Digital Skills training course are able to participate in the training programme run by AmaliTech, a not-for-profit social business. The training cycle comprises a total of six months. In the AmaliTech Training Academy, the local trainees are taught the digital competencies needed to be competitive in the global market. Following on from this, in the next stage successful participants receive an offer of employment within the AmaliTech Service Centres in Ghana. This is where the IT experts then network with the company.

Martin Hecker, founder and CEO of the social business explains Africa's unique selling point as regards the digital sector: "In future 9 out of 10 jobs will require digital skills. In Europe, we already have a clearly evident digital skills gap today. By contrast Africa's young people are regarded as the driving force behind digital innovation and, at 56 percent, have the highest rate of potential entrepreneurs – by comparison Asia has only 21 percent."