The future of tech is female: apply for ALX's software engineering cohort

Are you ready to claim your place at the helm of the global technology revolution? And join a sisterhood of African women who'll help to transform the tech status quo across the continent? Now's your chance to apply for an all-female software engineering cohort spearheaded by ALX, a premier technology training provider that's part of African Leadership International (ALI).

In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, ALX is offering 50,000 sponsorships to one of its internationally certified tech programmes, with the aim of creating a community of future female change-makers.

Starting on March 27, this 12-month virtual programme will provide a collaborative learning environment for growth; it will equip aspiring software engineers with the employable skills needed to kick-start a high-growth career in an in-demand industry.

A first for ALX, the creation of this cohort forms part of its “WomXn and Tech” initiative and was inspired by the UN International Women's Day theme of “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021, SA ranks 18th out of 156 countries when it comes to the gender gap. At face value, this might seem positive, but the reality is that the country features poorly (69th) when it comes to educational attainment and economic participation and opportunity (92nd). Less than 13% of girls attain STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) skills compared with more than 27% of boys.

For software engineers, this means that there is a significant gender divide that must be addressed. With 50% of technology users being women, it's essential they become more involved in the engineering process. After all, without being able to tap into the talents of all South Africans, the industry's potential for innovation is seriously hampered. 

The introduction of an all-female software engineering cohort is one of the ways in which ALX is helping to reduce this gender gap. “It's about encouraging young women to embrace technology as a future career path, empowering them with the skills necessary to become software engineers, and creating a dynamic environment for them to see STEM [industries] as something that they can be part of,” says Vatiswa Gilivane, activations manager at ALX SA.

Members of ALX's cohort will be designing solutions for communities, cities, countries and the virtual world. As such, they'll be at the forefront of Africa’s trajectory into the fourth industrial revolution and gain the skills vital to help drive the continent’s economic growth.

After completing the programme, they'll receive internationally recognised software engineer certification and be invited to join “The ROOM”, a community providing access to a global network of resources, job opportunities and career support.

“The investment ALX is making in this cohort reflects the potential we see in SA,” says Gilivane.

It's an investment that's been made possible after ALI's acquisition of leading Silicon Valley institution, Holberton Inc. With this move, ALX is now one of the largest software engineering trainers in the world, which aligns with its mission to develop Africa’s human capital at scale and empower women with best-in-class digital skills.

Apply for ALX's all-female software engineering cohort now

Visit the ALX website for more information about the programme and its entry requirements, and to apply for a sponsorship.

No prior experience or background in IT is required to apply; applications close on March 15 2023.

This article was sponsored by ALX.