Nigerian skill-to-market platform AltSchool Africa has expanded its learning faculty to introduce creative economy and business schools, following an impressive 40 per cent completion rate in its first year.
Founded in 2021 by Adewale Yusuf and Sultan Akintade, who are also co-founders of another Nigerian ed-tech company TalentQL, AltSchool aims to equip Africans with in-demand tech and employability skills to help them launch their careers.
Taking a non-conventional approach to learning, the tech-enabled platform has traditionally offered courses directly related to in-code and no-code. Strengthening its push in the ed-tech sector, the startup has added content creation, sales, and music business – using Afrobeats as a case study – to its existing nine courses, with applications now open for the first cohort of these new streams.
The startup, which raised a US$1 million pre-seed round in February 2022, has in the last two years facilitated nearly three million hours of training for tech roles, including software engineering, data science, and product design. The new programmes are focused on non-traditional careers beyond the technology field, and are designed to provide a comprehensive and experiential upskilling platform for aspiring learners looking to forge careers in other growing sectors.
“Our goal is to create a fun and communal learning platform for all Africans to develop their skills, regardless of their previous education or background. Our unique teaching methods have proven successful in helping our learners better retain information, demonstrating that we understand the complexities of how online education works,” said Yusuf.
“We are excited to announce the addition of these two new faculties, with qualified experts leading the courses. These industries were specifically chosen for their rapid growth, and we want to help people quickly enhance their careers in these fields. In Africa, many individuals earn low salaries due to a lack of essential job skills training. However, our platform aims to make a positive impact by connecting individuals with the necessary skills for the job market, enabling them to grow and reach their full potential. By doing so, we aspire to contribute to a brighter future for the continent.”
