Safaricom, Gebeya to Train Ethiopian University Students Offering Perks

Safaricom, in partnership with Gebeya Inc., has announced the launch of the Safaricom Talent Cloud, a platform designed to empower tech professionals and entrepreneurs in Ethiopia. 

The platform aims to address the tech talent demand in the country by providing comprehensive capacity-building opportunities and career development pathways.

Supported by JICA, the collaboration is an extension of the Memorandum signed between the three parties and the Ministry of Innovation and Technology to support Digital Ethiopia 2025.

“This collaboration signifies a shared commitment to empowering our nation’s youth with the advanced digital skills necessary to thrive in the 21st-century economy,” stated Belete Molla (PhD), Minister of Innovation and Technology.

Leveraging the expertise of Gebeya, Safaricom.gebeya.com is an end-to-end talent development platform providing education on in-demand skills, career pathways, and connectivity to opportunities with Safaricom’s network of partners.

On this new platform, Gebeya will be developing 38 expert-developed courses covering five key domains, highlighting software development, infrastructure, AI & data, security, and project management, among others.

The Safaricom Talent Cloud has partnered with six universities to provide physical venues with internet connectivity and equipment. These universities are Adama Science and Technology University, Bahir Dar University, Dire Dawa University, Hawassa University, Mekelle University (MIT), and Jigjiga University. The students at these universities will also benefit from the subsidy that will be provided by JICA.

This is not the first time that Safaricom, Gebeya, and JICA have collaborated. In April 2024, the partners graduated 50 selected talents from their co-created “Safaricom Academy,” a six-month software development training program that covered mobile, back-end, and DevOps engineering specializations as well as junior back-end development.

Additionally, in 2024, Gebeya signed a partnership with Pluralsight, an online tech education platform. Courses across Pluralsight’s immersive skills platform will be made available to all members of the Safaricom Talent Cloud.

Joining the Talent Cloud also brings the advantages of engaging in group coaching sessions, enjoying benefits from Safaricom, and the opportunity to compete for a spot in specialized bootcamps aimed at rapidly elevating skills and professional acumen.

In addition, Talent Cloud members receive additional perks from Safaricom, such as 6GB of data monthly, facilitating cost-effective learning by minimizing internet expenses on the platform.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency has also committed funding to subsidize enrollment costs for marginalized groups in the country, targeting their investment to make the program more equitable.