New ASU initiative connects young people across Africa with digital skills and career pathways
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More than 50,000 young people across sub-Saharan Africa will gain access to digital skills training and industry-recognized credentials through a new Arizona State University initiative designed to prepare them for workforce opportunities.
Led by ASU, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and with support from the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDAA), the Advancing Youth Careers & Employment (AYCE) Digital initiative will aim to expand access to affordable internet connectivity and digital devices while providing online training at no cost to youth across Africa. Participants will include young people with disabilities, refugees and young people who are not currently in education, employment or training.
The five-year initiative, developed by the W. P. Carey School of Business and ASU EdPlus, will offer flexible training opportunities that progress from foundational digital literacy skills, such as using digital tools and online platforms, to advanced technical certifications in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and project management.
“Digital skills are increasingly essential to economic opportunity,” said Ohad Kadan, Charles J. Robel Dean and W. P. Carey Distinguished Chair in Business. “AYCE is designed to help learners build the capabilities employers are seeking while creating pathways to meaningful careers in a rapidly evolving economy.”
The initiative is made possible through support from the Mastercard Foundation as part of its Young Africa Works strategy, which aims to enable 30 million young people across Africa to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. It also advances ASU’s Changing Futures campaign by expanding access to education and creating opportunities that improve lives and communities worldwide.
Participants can enter the program at multiple points based on their educational backgrounds, experience levels and career goals. Through a flexible learning model that allows participants to build skills and credentials over time, they can progress along educational and career pathways while preparing for workforce opportunities.
The initiative aims to:
- Provide foundational digital literacy training to more than 50,000 learners
- Help 10,000 learners earn intermediate workforce credentials
- Support 2,500 learners in completing advanced technical certifications tied to employment opportunities
“Technology is changing the skills employers need and creating new career opportunities across industries,” said Raghu Santanam, senior associate dean of executive education, corporate partnerships and lifelong learning at the W. P. Carey School of Business. “Our goal is to connect learners with skills employers are actively seeking and help them prepare for careers in a rapidly changing economy.”
A key component of the initiative is its emphasis on local leadership and community-based support. In collaboration with the PDAA, AYCE will engage universities, refugee-serving organizations and Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Alumni across the region. Many of those alumni will serve as local facilitators through a train-the-trainer approach, in which participants receive instruction and then train others in their communities.
To ensure training remains relevant across diverse communities and labor markets, AYCE will be delivered through a network of universities, community organizations and local facilitators throughout Africa. More than 100 local facilitators are expected to support learners throughout the program while helping build long-term workforce development capacity within partner institutions.
“What makes AYCE Digital powerful is its ability to combine scale with local relevance,” said Bethany Weigele, chief innovation officer at ASU EdPlus. “We’re building a model that can grow sustainably at incredible speed while remaining responsive to community and workforce needs.”
The program brings together expertise in digital learning, workforce development and regional partnerships through collaboration among the W. P. Carey School of Business, ASU EdPlus and the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa.
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