AltSchool Africa launches new schools to upskill Africans in creative and business industries

...School records 40% course completion rate in the first year, with Falzthebahdguy and Mr. Macaroni set to join faculty 

Skill-to-market platform AltSchool Africa, has expanded its learning faculty to introduce Creative Economy, and Business schools, following an impressive 40% completion rate in its first year. Taking a non-conventional approach to learning, the tech-enabled platform has traditionally offered courses directly related to in-code and no-code courses. Strengthening its push in the edtech sector, AltSchool Africa has included 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.

In the last two years, AltSchool Africa facilitated nearly 3 million hours of training for tech roles, including software engineering, data science, and product design. The new programs 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. With the ongoing adoption and expansion of technology on the continent, Africa has witnessed a burgeoning interest in its creative economy. As a result, a new wave of nonconformist career paths have emerged (for example, music management, content creation, and influencer marketing). This shift in thinking has enabled young people to reimagine their goals as well as career prospects outside of technology; with AltSchool spearheading a new era in learning for the continent.  

Prolific Nigerian artist Falzthebahdguy (Folarin Falana) and well-known content creator and actor Mr. Macaroni (Adebowale Adedayo) have been named as two of the facilitators for the creative economy school while media personality Do2dtun (Oladotun Ojuolape Kayode) was recently named as the school’s Creator Relations Director. Other facilitators joining AltSchool Africa’s business faculty include Nigerian film director and cinematographer Nora Awolowo, multi award winning music journalist Joey Akan, and content creator Aproko Doctor (Chinonso Egemba). 

Africa’s music streaming market is projected to reach US$372.80M in 2023, with an annual growth rate of 8.89%. At this rate, the projected market volume will be approximately US$524M by 2027. With some of the most popular streaming services only introduced to the continent late in the last decade, the relevance of jobs within this and the wider creative economy has increased.

Co-founded by Adewale Yusuf, Akintunde Sultan, and Opeyemi Awoyemi in 2021, AltSchool Africa has, since its inception, received over 50,000 applications from at least 83 countries, with the majority of applicants coming from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, and the United Kingdom. The platform has successfully enrolled more than 20,000 learners.

Speaking on the launch and call for applications, Co-Founder and CEO of AltSchool Africa, Adewale Yusuf, said, “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. 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”.

Dr. Ademola Akinrinola, Director of Curriculum and Learning Experience Design at AltSchool Africa, added, “As someone who joined AltSchool Africa from the University of Texas, I understand the significance of an upskilling platform like AltSchool in preparing individuals for career success - locally and internationally. The AltSchool curriculum is designed to cater to learners of all levels, from beginners to experts, who possess a natural curiosity and a drive to solve problems”.

Rachel Onoja, Head of Operations at AltSchool Africa shared, “We are committed to providing our learners with a fun, informative, and accessible learning experience. We believe that our learners should feel a sense of belonging as they learn in communities and that their time with us should be a profitable investment in their future”.

Over 90 percent of youths aged 15-24 in Africa are part of the informal sector with very low pay due to lack of relevant skills. This underscores the pressing urgency to enhance Africa’s workforce through upskilling initiatives. With about 321 million youths projected to enter the workforce by 2030, upskilling is vital for quality job prospects post-tertiary education.

AltSchool Africa is championing the mission to empower every individual with the knowledge, skills, and career opportunities they need to thrive in the modern world. The platform is empowering learners to thrive by fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills that will set them up for success. The programmes offered have no educational requirements and can be completed in as little as six weeks with course fees starting from $100.