Microsoft4Afrika has indicated that it is imperative for all current and future employees within the continent to adopt a growth mindset as it will help them frame their thinking to detect when a new opportunity arises as well as upskill themselves to meet the challenges it poses.
In the words of Martin Ndlovu, Skills Programme Manager, Microsoft 4Afrika, for Africa to become a digital hub for skills, they need to reshape their thinking around skilling. They also must abandon the notion that skilling is a once-off event that happens at the start of their careers (the traditional university/college precept), and look at it as a continuous arc of learning that progresses throughout their working lives.
While quoting Stanford professor, Carol Dweck, who is said to be famous for her philosophy of a growth mindset, he noted that in a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work with brains and talent being just the starting point. This view, he noted, creates a love for learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.
“We must also reshape our conventional understanding of skills transfer as something that occurs within the confines of a classroom. With the advent of new technology and the cloud, skilling is no longer an event that happens within four walls. We now carry a phone that can display or broadcast skills to you wherever you are, whenever you want. We now have the opportunity to take advantage of technology to bring skills to the person who needs them, wherever they are.
“While online or virtual learning will certainly continue to be dominant with the coronavirus pandemic forcing us to work remotely and stay physically distant, two very important factors must be considered to make a success of self-paced learning in a virtual sphere. The first is motivation. There usually has to be a compelling reason for a person to acquire a certain skill set. Typically, in a work environment, the motivation might be to secure a promotion or a new position, and the goal likely includes a certification.”
He explained further that since the start of the Microsoft Global Skilling Initiative in June this year, more than half a million learners in the Middle East and Africa have completed or are still finishing one of the 10 learning paths using resources offered by Microsoft, LinkedIn and GitHub, which shows the tremendous appetite for upskilling involving certification.
The second factor, according to him, is the infrastructure needed to be able to engage in self-paced learning, something he disclosed cannot be taken for granted in the African context.
“It is here that the Microsoft Airband Initiative and 4Afrika’s ongoing campaign to access TV White Spaces to bring affordable internet to rural and underserved communities, can make a tangible difference in the race to bring vital digital skills to those who need it most.”