an introduction to basic digital skills for young women
Tech-Up Girls
Globally, 3.7 billion people do not have access to the internet. Half of them are women. In some parts of the world, the digital gender divide has been shrinking, but data shows it is growing in Africa. (UN Women, 2021)
The pandemic has shown that access to technology is not a luxury anymore, it is a necessity, especially for girls. There is a gender digital divide globally: girls are disadvantaged when it comes to digital adoption, have lower levels of access to and use of digital technology than boys, and often they are not benefiting from digital technology as boys are. (UN Women, 2021)
Including women in the digital economy in Africa presents enormous opportunities for reducing inequality, achieving development and economic growth, and accelerating business and market integration in Africa.
The majority of women in the labor force in Africa remain in low-income, labor-intensive jobs such as agricultural work, which lack value-addition and growth opportunities and contribute to keeping many women in poverty.
Unfortunately, in the digital economy—one of the fastest growing and most promising sectors in many countries—women are underrepresented and marginalized as tech entrepreneurs.
The Tech-Up Girls Initiative
The goal of the Tech-Up Girls Initiative program is to assist young African women in securing employment and achieving self-sufficiency within 3-6 months. Our mission is to holistically train the participants of this program in relevant income-generating digital skills and connect them with global opportunities in this time frame.
Of this 6 months program, the first 12 weeks (3 months) will be dedicated to learning through an intensive bootcamp that includes self-paced digital skills training on our learning management system, quizzes to test the basic and general understanding of the subject matter, projects to test the in-depth understanding of concepts and their ability to think critically and out of the box beyond obvious concepts, capacity building engagements through live life enhancement call with industry experts in areas such as Re-Engineering Your Belief System for Success, The Power of a DREAMS Girl: Determined, Resilient, Empowered, Audacious, Mentored and Safe, She and Her Money, Your Network and Your Future, Advanced Digital Skills, Skill Monetization and what we call A Big Sister’s Conversation where we delve into realities of being female and navigating building a career.
In contrast to previous bootcamps with general mentors, participants will receive mentoring from expert mentors in smaller groups through live calls during some core weeks. We have expert mentors such as
Excellence Anurika Joshua is an excellent mentor, specializing in website design and development, personal branding, digital careers, and digital/online marketing.
Grace Chima Joshua is an expert mentor in social media management, content creation, and videography.
The expert mentor for virtual assistance, personal branding, and pricing is Faith Adeyanju.
Isaac Olugbenga is the expert mentor for design and personal branding.
These expert mentors possess extensive experience in their respective fields. They will review projects, engage with participants, provide individualized feedback, and work with you through 1-2 revisions to ensure you get it right.
The structure for digital skills goes from basic to advanced.
What you'd learn...
In Week 1, participants will gain access to the course platform and learn about technology and the internet. They’ll explore the definition, history, and types of technology, as well as its building blocks. Additionally, they’ll understand how the internet works, covering connectivity, smart devices, and IoT.
In Week 2, they will delve into using technology responsibly and safely, covering cybersecurity, digital footprint, and privacy. Participants will explore careers in technology, understanding various roles, core skills, and the impact of technology on industries. They will also learn about future trends and ethical considerations in tech careers.
In Week 3, participants will study the Microsoft and Google ecosystems, including their history, core services, and impact on everyday computing and internet accessibility. They’ll also learn about email’s evolution, importance, and effective management.
In Week 4, the focus will be on artificial intelligence and prompt engineering, covering AI’s history, key terms, and ethical considerations. Participants will learn about personal branding, remote working, and entrepreneurship.
In Week 5, we will cover social media management, including platform-specific strategies, content creation, engagement strategies, and analytics. Participants will also learn about legal and ethical guidelines, crisis management, and social media tools like Canva.
In Week 6 and 7, participants will focus on video content creation with tutorials on In-Shot and VN. They will also learn about bulk emailing using tools like Flodesk, Brevo, and Mailchimp.
Understanding the role of a virtual assistant (VA), including essential skills, tools, client management, and starting a VA business, is the focus of weeks 8 and 9. Participants will also learn about web design using WordPress, from setting up to launching a portfolio website.
In Week 10, participants will explore web design using Shopify, including setting up an account, choosing and customizing themes, adding products, and setting up payment and shipping. They will also learn marketing strategies and analyze store performance using Shopify Analytics.
We have modified this bootcamp for enhanced relevance, making it completely unique from all previous Tech-Up Girls programs.
Once you successfully complete this course and demonstrate a satisfactory performance, which we define as successfully completing your projects, particularly in your chosen field, and demonstrating excellent character, accountability, and global work practices, we will integrate you into Hire Emmie. We will help you build out your portfolio over the next 4 weeks and connect you to job opportunities.
Our goal is to connect you to one to three opportunities before your six-month program graduation.
SHE: Learn . Work . Earn
Eligibility
This program requires female, African, and not less than 16-year-old applicants. We strongly encourage you to have access to a laptop. Without a laptop, you might only be able to scale through Week 5. Once you reach Week 5, it may become increasingly challenging to continue without a laptop. You will also need to have internet access, be present for all activities, and have enough time to complete the course.
The program, especially the bootcamp, is an intensive one, so you cannot take it concurrently with anything else, which is also very demanding. You need maximum focus.
Frequently Asked Questions
The training is fully virtual (online).
The course is for 12 weeks.
Yes, you will get a downloadable certificate.
If you pass the assessment, we will onboard you to Hire Emmie and connect you with relevant opportunities.
It is absolutely beginner friendly.
You also get to learn some life enhancing skills, you network and grow via community building. You also access opportunities and support through your tech journey.
Most of the lessons can be taken on your phone. About 95% but the web development course which is the last lesson is best practiced on a computer.
You need to be available, have a smartphone and/or a computer and most importantly access to the internet and data.
It’s beginner friendly and we will show you how to if you are selected.
Yes. It is discounted to N50000/$50
It is self-paced but you have access for 60 days after the bootcamp.
No. But you will be positioned for opportunities.
You’d take assessments via Quizzes that will be automatically graded . At the end of the course, you will earn a certificate of completion which you can download immediately.