Through its Chief Skills Office, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has partnered with the Rwanda Telecenter Network (RTN) to carry out online learning programs to help Rwandans enhance their skills.
Over the next three years, Rwandans will receive at least 12,000 scholarships thanks to funding from the Commonwealth of Learning (COL).
Learners will have free access to the full suite of courses on the Coursera, Udemy, and Google sites thanks to the scholarships.
Although Coursera and Udemy provide over 5,000 courses, the Google Certification Program will provide six specialized qualifications, including IT Support, IT Automation with Python, Data Analysis, Project Management, UX Design, and Associate Android Developer.
This is the second step of the Covid-19 pandemic response collaboration.
From June 2020 to March 2021, RDB and RTN collaborated to launch the first phase of the Coursera Workforce Recovery Program, awarding over 12,000 certificates to Rwandans.
The new initiative aims to close the skills gap for high-demand jobs in Rwanda by teaching people the skills they need to find work.
Didy Elodie Rusera, the RDB Chief Skills Officer, commented on the program: “To introduce this initiative and complement other current programs such as the digital literacy program for public servants, the RDB Skills Office and RTN are working closely with the Ministry of ICT. We are optimistic that Rwandans can develop the skills needed in the labor market thanks to access to three common online learning platforms: Coursera, Udemy, and Google. We anticipate that more than 12,000 people will have been educated as a result of this partnership by the end of 2023.”
“Based on testimonies from learners who graduated from the previous program, I strongly believe the new program will have a major impact on learners, particularly in areas of job creation,” said Paul Barera, RTN’s Chief Executive Officer. Female students are also encouraged to apply since the initiative aims to increase women’s participation in e-learning opportunities.”
Visit the website to enroll for the courses or for more information.
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