Safaricom, in collaboration with Gebeya Inc. and supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has launched the Safaricom Talent Cloud, a groundbreaking platform aimed at empowering the next generation of tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and digital leaders across Ethiopia.

This initiative seeks to address the country’s tech talent shortages by providing comprehensive capacity-building opportunities and career development pathways for 10,000 Ethiopian talents by the end of 2024.

“The Safaricom Talent Cloud embodies our mission to ‘Transform Ethiopian Lives for a Digital Future,’” said Masahiro Miyashita, Chief Strategy Officer of Safaricom Ethiopia.

“By democratizing access to future skills, we are laying the foundation for a new generation of innovators who will drive Ethiopia’s socio-economic and digital transformation.”

At its core, the Safaricom Talent Cloud is an end-to-end talent development engine offering guided mastery of in-demand skills, career pathways, and connectivity to opportunities within Safaricom’s extensive partner network.

The platform, accessible at safaricom.gebeya.com, leverages Gebeya’s expertise in delivering AI-powered Talent Cloud solutions tailored to organizational needs, cultivating top-tier tech talent for global technology giants and Fortune 500 companies.

In April 2024, Safaricom, Gebeya, and JICA collaborated to graduate 50 talents from the “Safaricom Academy,” a six-month intensive software development training program.

Building on this success, the Safaricom Talent Cloud will now provide broader access to skills in AI, data science, cybersecurity, and more.

“The Safaricom Talent Cloud is about future-proofing Ethiopia’s next generation,” said Amadou Daffe, Co-Founder and CEO of Gebeya. “Our goal is to spark an opportunity mindset shift, minting innovators and problem solvers who will harness powerful technologies to drive progress across the continent.”

Gebeya will develop 38 expert-led courses covering five key domains: Software Development, Infrastructure, AI & Data, Security, and Project Management.

Additionally, a partnership with Pluralsight will provide Talent Cloud members with access to thousands of courses across various technological disciplines, offering curated learning paths and an immersive multimedia learning experience.

Talent Cloud members will benefit from group coaching sessions with certified industry experts, exclusive perks from Safaricom, and opportunities to compete for spots in specialized bootcamps.

Members also receive 6GB of data monthly, facilitating affordable learning, and an accessible annual subscription fee of $99, payable in Ethiopian Birr.

Efforts are underway to ensure the Safaricom Talent Cloud’s inclusivity across Ethiopia, with strategic partnerships forged with leading universities in regional states.

JICA has committed significant funding to subsidize enrollment costs for marginalized groups, aiming to make the program more equitable.

“JICA believes that investing in human capital development is essential for catalyzing Ethiopia’s digital transformation,” said Kensuke Oshima, JICA Ethiopia’s Chief Representative.

“The Safaricom Talent Cloud equips Ethiopian talent with the tools to address local challenges and shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution from Addis. We are proud to support the foundation of a more skilled workforce and a stronger economy.”

The Talent Cloud opens for registration today, offering a gateway to digital empowerment for a generation of Ethiopians.