In 2019, the African Development Bank and technology firm Microsoft launched the Coding for Employment digital training platform, an online tool providing digital skills to African youth. Of the more than 126,000 students who have completed the courses, 47% are women.

The platform aims to promote a continuous learning culture among young people and build their capacity to shape the continent's future. We asked Lagos-based Coding for Employment graduate Oluwakemi Adeleke, to tell us about her online learning experience.

My name is Oluwakemi Adeleke; I'm a product designer based in Lagos, Nigeria.

I started my journey to product design in February 2020 and spent the following months learning on my own until in September 2020 when a very good friend of mine told me about the Coding for Employment program. Upon hearing it was free of charge, I registered for the program and of course I hoped to learn, grow and connect with more young designers in the industry.

Before the Coding for Employment program, I would say I was an experienced beginner. I understood basic design concepts, prototyping, design thinking and all. However, the program widened my knowledge and I gained a deeper understanding of how design works in real life and how I can actually design a usable product.

My personal experience with the Coding for Employment program was a sweet one - full of learning and fun. I love the product design tutor and his teaching approach. I'm happy I was part of the program because it helped me improve my skills and I gained more knowledge and met amazing young designers similar to myself.

Now, I work remotely as a product designer with a software development company in Austin, Texas. It's one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Being an extrovert and an outspoken person helped me to leverage a career platform - in my case LinkedIn - and use it to my advantage. I am an active LinkedIn user, and it was through the platform that I got my job.

Furthermore, being tutored by the best design mentor in the Coding for Employment program and working on projects on the course helped to boost my confidence and portfolio, which were part of the things that helped me to secure the job.

Also, working remotely with a diverse team filled with amazing and intelligent people has been a great experience and I'm enjoying every bit of it. I'm learning and I'm growing and my team is filled with amazing techies.

My appreciation goes to the African Development Bank, the Coding for Employment team and [implementing partner] McAnderson Institute of Technology for putting this program together to help young designers grow and improve their skills. It helped me and I would recommend the Coding for Employment program to any young designer hoping to start a career in tech. Trust me, you will enjoy it and you will get tutored by the best mentors and professionals in the industry.

Coding for Employment prepares Africa's youth for tomorrow's jobs by training them in demand-driven information and communications technology (ICT) and matching graduates directly with ICT employers. Coding for Employment aims to create over 9 million jobs and reach 32 million youth and women across Africa. The Coding for Employment Program is part of the Bank's Jobs for Youth in Africa Initiative.

Learn more about Coding for Employment: https://coding4employment.org/