Google has announced a new programme to offer new scholarships for Android, Web and Google Cloud development to developers across Africa.
The programme will be offered in partnership with tech talent companies Pluralsight and Andela.
A total of 40,000 scholarships will be offered to developers spread across Mobile and Cloud development tracks and, at the end of the training, the top 1,000 students will earn a full scholarship to certify in Android or Cloud development.
Google made this announcement at a virtual event that was held last Friday. The company was hosting stakeholders in Africa’s tech ecosystem to review trends unfolding throughout the internet economy, paying special attention to the support of developers and startups in Africa.
At the event, Google also announced the continuation of its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme.
Applications for the Class 6 Google for the programme, a three-month programme that is slated to start on 21 June 2021, will be open until 14 May 2021.
The online programme (which includes 3 intensive virtual training bootcamps, mentorship and Google product support) is open to applications from 17 countries across Africa, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
The aim is to support the advancement of the startups through their crucial growth phases.
Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first virtual class of Google for Startups Accelerator kicked off with 20 startups from seven countries undergoing a 12-week virtual journey to redefine their offering while receiving mentoring and attending workshops.
‘’We are excited to continue our journey with African startup and developer communities because we believe that Africa’s startup ecosystem is a key driver of economic growth on the continent,‘’ the company said in a blog post.