SWITCH:This Startup Teaches People To Code And Then Gives Them Jobs
Programming is fast becoming an essential skill to have, as the world moves quickly towards the robot uprising, but it’s not easy – or cheap – to learn. An increasing number of Nigerians want to learn coding and software development, so many startups have been launched to fill this need gap.
Switch is a startup that focuses on [tech] talent discovery, acceleration and placement for technology companies in Nigeria. Switch’s model is similar to that of Andela in some ways: Andela offers a 4-year training and a salary for the period, but the Switch Fellowship runs for 1 year and 3 months — 3 months of intense training, then a 12-month placement in Nigerian companies, where fellows further their skills, build portfolios and get paid.
And while Andela exports the talents they train, Switch is directing its efforts to helping tech firms in Nigeria employ highly skilled and motivated developers to grow and scale their companies.
Speaking about the company’s mission, the CEO and founder of Switch, Sheriff Shittu, says :
“If you’re smart and talented, we train you, prepare you for a company and then pair you up immediately. Switch is looking to contribute to the growth and development of skilled developers in Nigeria; by ‘switching on’ the potentials that are inherent in people or, better still, switching people from a boring job to a career in tech.”
“We want to create an army of people that will create opportunity and have the competency to extract the opportunity that tech provides.”
Switch aims to have trained and placed 200 developers by the end of 2017. The startup has concluded its first cohort and the fellows are currently distributed across different places of employment. Want to join the second cohort? Here’s how:
Hey people! Applications are open for the May-July 2017 session. Kindly register here : http://courses.switch.ng/courses #SWITCH
Switch gives its fellows free lunch everyday and stipends to cover transportation and accommodation. Admission into the Switch Academy for the 3-month intensive training is free, and after the 3-month period, a percentage of their salaries is deducted over the 1-year placement period.
Since launching in November, 2016, Switch has grown into a popular destination for young Nigerians from across the country with an interest in learning different programming skills.
