Digital Skills / Tech Training
Youth Digital Skills Accelerator Program (YDSAP)
Launched in May 2023 and running through October 2024, the Youth Digital Skills Accelerator Program was a flagship digital empowerment initiative sponsored by the Igbo-Etiti Local Government Council Chairman. Delivered in successive 3-month batches, the program targeted secondary school leavers and SS1–SS3 students - young people at a critical crossroads between education and employment. Over 120 participants were trained across batches in front-end web development, product design (UI/UX), and Microsoft Office productivity tools (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint). As Hub Manager, I oversaw the end-to-end delivery of the program including curriculum structure, trainer coordination, and participant progress tracking. A highlight of the program was an exposure trip to Genesys Tech Hub in Enugu, which gave participants a firsthand view of professional tech environments and ignited deeper career interest. Top-performing graduates were rewarded with brand new laptops, and several alumni went on to win recognition and prizes in MTN's tech empowerment programs - demonstrating the real-world impact of the training beyond the classroom
Challenge
Young people in Igbo-Etiti LGA had limited exposure to technology careers and virtually no access to structured digital skills training. Without intervention, many secondary school leavers and in-school students faced a future disconnected from the growing digital economy. There was also a motivational gap - students needed not just skills, but inspiration and proof that tech careers were achievable for people from their community.
Solution
Working under the sponsorship of the LGA Council Chairman and serving as Hub Manager, I structured a rolling batch training program that made quality tech education consistently available to young people across the LGA. The curriculum combined practical, employable skills - front-end development and UI/UX design - with everyday productivity tools. Incentives like the Genesys Tech Hub visit and laptop prizes for top performers were deliberately built into the program to sustain motivation and reward excellence. The batch model ensured the program could serve large numbers without sacrificing quality
Results
Over 120 young people trained across multiple batches between 2023 and 2024. Graduates gained skills in front-end development, UI/UX design, and Microsoft Office. Multiple alumni won laptops as performance prizes. Several participants went on to win recognition in MTN tech empowerment competitions. The program established the Igbo-Etiti Tech Hub as a credible centre for youth digital empowerment in the LGA