The challenge
Africa has an abundance of highly skilled tech talent ready to enter the global workforce and drive innovation. But being successful requires more than technical knowledge. How can they learn essential soft skills to manage stakeholders, grow into leadership roles and take the next steps in their careers?
The solution
Lepaya and Tunga set up trainings that equip tech talent in Africa with assertiveness and feedback skills. These skills empower the professionals to expand their careers into new AI, investment banking and mobile development domains.
Tech talent is highly valued in today’s technology-driven job market. But companies can't always source the right people to optimize digital and AI innovations.
Tunga bridges the talent gap by connecting global enterprises with tech professionals from Africa. However, to thrive in the global job market, the developers don’t only need technical knowledge. Soft skills are equally valued by employers.
In partnership with Lepaya, Tunga set up an academy in July 2023 to develop key skills that increase employability and accelerate career growth.
“With the Tunga Academy, our mission is to empower aspiring African developers with the expertise and opportunities to thrive in the global tech ecosystem. By combining technical expertise with soft skills development, we prepare talent for the demands of today’s workplace.”
Jori Gerritsen, Project Manager at Tunga
Here is how participants have experienced the training and transformed their careers.
"What stood out for me was the practical sessions. They encouraged us to apply our newly learned skills in our day-to-day lives."
How Lepaya ensures learners apply new skills
Lepaya and Tunga delivered digital training sessions focused on supporting tech talent's readiness for the global job market. The training programs centered around two critical skills:
- Assertiveness: Empowering developers to communicate confidently and contribute their expertise in projects.
- Feedback for growth: Equipping participants with the tools to receive and give constructive feedback to stakeholders.
To ensure effective knowledge transfer and lasting behavioral change, each classroom session emphasized not only learning, but actively practicing and applying these skills. Lepaya's use of peer buddies, role-play actors, and high-quality instructional design tailored the trainings to the development needs of the tech talent.
By creating an interactive and practice-driven learning environment, Lepaya enabled participants to build critical soft skills and apply them in real-world scenarios, setting them up for success in competitive tech roles.
“When I go to tech events, I can now open up, network and share ideas.”
Tailored upskilling expands tech talent’s influence
By building skills in assertiveness and feedback, Lepaya empowered the tech talent to grow in 3 professional areas.
- Networking: The learners developed more confidence in sharing ideas at tech events, creating opportunities to build valuable connections.
- Stakeholder management: Participants adapted their communication styles to navigate diverse workplace dynamics, ensuring clear and effective collaboration.
- Team influence: The training helped developers articulate their expertise, making them more influential contributors within their teams.
Through this confidence boost, participants are now better equipped to navigate the complex interpersonal aspects of tech roles and increase their employability.
“I’m interested in venturing into the AI field. If I’m going to be able to lead teams, I need skills in assertiveness. These are the skills that make a well rounded leader for tomorrow. ”
Soft skills broaden tech talent’s career opportunities
Soft skills training equips developers with the tools to pursue leadership roles and expand into new tech fields, such as AI, investment banking, and mobile development.
By focusing on soft skills, participants broadened their career opportunities, empowering them to move beyond technical expertise to leadership and strategic roles in global companies. These skills are critical for navigating the future of work, where well-rounded tech leaders who can combine technical knowledge with interpersonal excellence are in high demand.
Building future-ready teams with scalable upskilling
As the global job market becomes increasingly interconnected and technology-driven, the demand for upskilling is growing. Through scalable learning solutions, people leaders can continuously source and develop the right tech talent for their evolving business needs.
By fuelling Tunga’s mission to empower African developers, Lepaya is not only helping individuals build successful careers, but also contributing to a broader vision of innovation and talent development in Africa. Together, Tunga and Lepaya are preparing today’s tech talent to lead in the global job market of tomorrow.
Stay tuned for our monthly updates
Subscribe to receive L&D inspiration, innovative strategies, and practical advice.
Fields marked with (*) are required.
