The telecoms group Orange and the German Cooperation (GIZ) has opened in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, “Orange Digital Center”, an ecosystem totally dedicated to the development of digital skills and creativity.
As part of its Engage 2025 plan, Orange has pledged to establishing an Orange Digital Center in each nation where the company operates to promote start-ups by 2025. As a result, Orange is launching its 5th Orange Digital Center in Africa and the Middle East, with German support. To encourage youth employability, creativity, and entrepreneurship, the center was founded in conjunction with Amazon Web Services.
The Orange Digital Center in Côte d’Ivoire, which spans 1,200 square meters, brings together the Orange Group’s four strategic programs in one location: an Orange Digital Academy code school, a FabLab Solidaire digital manufacturing workshop supported by the Orange Foundation, an Orange Fab start-up accelerator, and Orange Ventures Africa, the Orange Group’s investment fund. These programs are all free and accessible to the public. They range from digital technology training for young people (90 percent of these training courses are hands-on), to project leader support, including the acceleration of start-ups and investment in them.
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Orange and the German Cooperation through GIZ are working together to achieve their shared goal of increasing young people’s employability and providing women and girls with access to ICT jobs, all while promoting the Ivory Coast’s long-term growth and digital transformation.
As part of its Engage 2025 plan, Orange has pledged to establish an Orange Digital Center in each nation where the company operates to promote start-ups by 2025. Through Orange Digital Centers in Africa and the Middle East, Orange and Amazon Web Services (AWS) will offer a free and certified 12-week full-time cloud computing skills training program for job seekers to establish their cloud careers in 18 countries.
AWS re/ Start is a skills-based training program that prepares learners for junior employment in the cloud by covering essential AWS Cloud capabilities as well as practical work skills like as interviewing and resume writing. Participants in the program are also prepared for and pass the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification test, allowing them to demonstrate their cloud expertise with an industry-recognized certificate. Following the completion of the program, Orange and AWS will assist graduates in finding jobs.
Tunisia, Senegal, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Morocco, and Mali now have eight Orange Digital Centers open in the region.
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Other inaugurations are planned for the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022.
Orange Center Cote D’ivoire Orange Center Cote D’ivoire
Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance.
He is also an award-winning writer