AIPI (Access International Partnership in IT), a partnership project between Rwanda ICT Chamber and BITMi (Bundesverband IT-Mittelstand e.V.) has officially concluded its second cohort of Tech upskill program, in collaboration with the consortium made of 250 Startups, KLab, and FabLab.
The hackathon event took four days at FabLab space in Kigali, Rwanda from February 7-10, 2023, with the theme ”Design of the next industrial solution.” where ICT Chamber member companies who are also potential employers submitted different challenges, to be worked on by both Klab & Fablab trainees/beneficiaries .
Tech Upskill program has brought together talents, software developers and aspiring young professionals with interesting and promising projects. During those four (4) months, These talents who came from across the country were pursuing courses, training and coaching in Klab and Fablab to refine their projects and enhance their skills. 250 Startups also equipped talents with needed soft skills to be able to market and sell their solutions to potential employers and investors.
Photo: 2nd tech Upskill Program talents during the Hackathon presentations
The aim of this program is to empower and upskill young people in Rwanda and equip them with the skills necessary to succeed in the technology industry. Therefore Tech Upskill Hackathon Second Cohort exposed an excellent opportunity to young people in Rwanda through showcasing their talents and learning from experienced professionals in the technology industry.
With the support of the partners, these young talents were able to prove the potential in creating innovative solutions that will help transform Rwanda’s technology industry and drive economic growth. The event is a testament to the power of collaboration and partnership in promoting innovation and upskilling young people.
Photo: One of the tech upskill talents pitching and showcasing his project to the PS of MINICT, Hon. Yves Iradukunda
The four-day event, the talents presented their projects to a panel of judges who evaluated them based on their creativity, innovation, and potential impact. The most performed talent groups were awarded prizes to help them continue their work and develop their ideas further.
Photo: Hon. PS of MINICT giving opening remarks on the final hackathon day – Demo day.
During the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and Innovation gave a speech in which he thanked the ICT Chamber and all the partners for their efforts. “I believe the consistency in creating these opportunities for our young people is commendable because as we know when you graduate from school and come to the labor market with a lot of expectations, further preparation and earning skills is very important,” the Permanent Secretary said.
Photo: Awarding ceremony – all talents were awarded completion certificates.
After the event all talents who participated fully in this program went back home with a certificate of training participation. Those who created outstanding and innovative solutions/projects were awarded internships and job opportunities from various attending companies. The event concluded with celebration and networking between talents, professionals and company owners who participated during the Tech upskill Hackathon Event.