Bridging the Digital Gap — The Journey of 28 Newly Skilled Software Engineers.
“Before Semicolon, I used to work as a Business Development Manager at a fashion store. I also did not study anything related to tech, but I have always been interested in it since I was in school and even worked at a cyber cafe at some point. So, when I came across Semicolon, I saw it as an opportunity to pursue my interest.” These are the words of Olaolu Olowe, aka Cubana of the Phoenix cohort.
New beginnings are often considered adventurous experiences with emotions like excitement, exhaustion, and wonder. It was the same for The Phoenix when they embarked on their Semicolon Techpreneurship journey in June 2021.
The name Phoenix comes from the Semicolon tradition that Natives go through in naming their cohort on their first day at the Village to foster communal relationships. Cohort 8 chose the name Phoenix to symbolize that they were embarking on a journey of regeneration — a breath of new life into an otherwise seemingly bleak future.
Watch their story here.
When the Phoenix started this journey one year ago, many were coming from varied science and non-technical backgrounds. Here at Semicolon, they developed their problem-solving, software engineering, and business management skills to become well-rounded software engineers. Like the saying that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, they also had fun in the monthly village hangouts, Friday fitness sessions, and other community events to keep them fit and connected with other Natives. Hence, the ride has been an interesting one!
Already, about 24 of them are employed by hiring partners like FCMB, Civily, TeamApt, Termii among others. A few others have also decided on the techpreneurship route and are currently building their idea into investable startups at Semicolon Ventures.
For the Phoenix, this one-year training may have ended, but the journey to being consistently on top of the game never ends. And we believe they will always remember the words of the graduation guest speaker, Razaq Ahmed of Cowrywise, that they should not make money the primary motivation in making decisions at the early stage. Instead, they should opt to create value, so they can also get value.
A big congratulations to the Phoenix’s best graduating Native — Oluwafemi Oladeji, Woman-in-Tech — Precious Onyeukwu, and Most Innovative Native — Solomon Archibong. We celebrate you!
The graduation of this cohort is a continuous testament to Semicolon’s goal — to bridge the digital gap and make skilled and hirable software engineers available through the one-year intensive training program.
Bridging the digital gap in Nigeria and Africa is essential with the increased use of technology and the rising unemployment rates. However, finding highly-skilled software engineers has become overwhelming for many recruiters. This is why Semicolon continues to build a talent pipeline that leverages problem-solving, software engineering, and business management skills to solve real problems.
So, if you or anyone you know is looking to learn a high-in-demand tech skill or build a career in software engineering, the one-year techpreneurship program application is still ongoing. So, hurry up and join our impact community.
