PRESS STATEMENT
Abidjan, December 16, 2024 – Today, US tech companies Cisco and Cybastion, in collaboration with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy and Ministry Youth Promotion and Employment, announced the DigiEmpower Workforce Training Program (DigiEmpower), an ambitious digital workforce initiative to train 200,000 young people and women across 10 regions of Côte d’Ivoire by 2030.
Côte d’Ivoire is experiencing rapid growth in its digital economy, and the demand for a digitally skilled workforce is expected to grow. By 2030, Ivory Coast will require some five million workers with digital skills to sustain and accelerate this growth. Women and youth remain underrepresented in digital professions in the country.
Anchored by the state-of-the-art Cybastion Tech Academy in Abidjan, DigiEmpower will leverage a nationwide network of ICT academies to provide training in digital skills, Artificial Intelligence (AI), IT infrastructure, and cybersecurity. The program will focus on preparing highly specialized digital professionals for both careers in government and the private sector, creating a pipeline of talent to drive innovation, bolster resilience against cyber threats, and promote inclusive growth.
“Cybastion is proud to partner with Cisco and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire to help build a digitally skilled workforce in the country,” said Dr. Thierry Wandji, CEO of Cybastion. “This bold new initiative represents a major step toward equipping a new generation of tech professionals and entrepreneurs, and positioning Côte d’Ivoire in digital innovation and workforce development in Africa.”
“The U.S. Embassy is honored to support the launch of the DigiEmpower Workforce Training Program, an initiative designed to empower Côte d’Ivoire’s workforce with essential digital skills,” said U.S. Ambassador Jessica Davis Ba. “This program is a key step in equipping Ivorian youth and women for the rapidly evolving economy, unlocking new avenues for innovation and growth. Through our collaboration with American companies like Cybastion and Cisco, we are making a lasting investment in Côte d’Ivoire’s future and advancing the broader digital transformation of the region.”
The Cybastion Tech Academy is a regional training center aimed at contributing to job creation to stimulate economic growth and opportunities for young people and women. The workforce training program will also help bridge the digital divide by focusing on creating employment opportunities and entrepreneurship in both urban and rural areas.
With a growing demand for higher education in Côte d'Ivoire, the training program will strengthen partnerships with US-based higher education institutions such as North Carolina State University, George Mason University, and Carnegie Mellon University for digital skills training and cybersecurity programs.
Francine Katsoudas, Executive Vice President & Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer said: “At Cisco, we believe in a digital future that’s inclusive, sustainable, and secure. As a global tech company, we offer our skills and expertise so people and businesses in Africa can take the lead in shaping their digital future, driving social and economic inclusion from the ground up. In the last 25 years, we’ve invested over $180m and educated over 1.6 million students across 53 African countries via our Networking Academies, including Côte d’Ivoire. I am looking forward to building on the success of this program for our future initiatives in collaboration with the country’s leadership and our Cisco authorized reseller, Cybastion.”
Access the fact sheet: DigiEmpower Training Program Insert
For media inquiries, please contact: Shanta Bryant Gyan at email, sbgyan@cybastiontech.com
Website: www.cybastiontech.com
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About Cybastion:
Cybastion is an American technology company that delivers world-class digital and cybersecurity solutions to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation. Its mission is to empower Africa’s digital future by creating secure, resilient, and reliable digital ecosystems that drive innovation, growth, and prosperity.
US technology companies announce new initiative to develop a skilled digital workforce in Ivory Coast
Abidjan, December 16, 2024 – Today, American technology companies Cisco and Cybastion, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication, Digital Economy and the Ministry of Youth Promotion and Employment, announced the DigiEmpower Workforce Training Program (DigiEmpower), an ambitious initiative aimed at training 200,000 young people and women in 10 regions of Côte d'Ivoire by 2030.
Côte d’Ivoire is experiencing rapid growth in its digital economy, and the demand for skilled digital labor continues to grow. By 2030, Ivory Coast will need five million workers with digital skills to maintain and accelerate this growth. Women and young people remain underrepresented in the country's digital professions.
Anchored in the cutting-edge Cybastion Tech Academy in Abidjan, DigiEmpower will rely on a national network of ICT academies to offer training in digital skills, Artificial Intelligence (AI), IT infrastructure and cybersecurity. The program will focus on preparing highly specialized professionals for careers in the public and private sector, creating a talent pipeline to drive innovation, build resilience against cyber threats and promote inclusive growth.
“Cybastion is proud to partner with Cisco and the Government of Ivory Coast to help build a skilled digital workforce in the country,” said Dr. Thierry Wandji, CEO of Cybastion. “This bold new initiative represents a major step to equip a new generation of digital professionals and entrepreneurs, and to position Côte d’Ivoire as a leader in digital innovation and skills development in Africa. »
« The U.S. Embassy is honored to support the launch of the DigiEmpower Workforce training program, an initiative aimed at equipping Cote d’Ivoire’s workforce with essential digital skills,” said U.S. Ambassador Jessica Davis Ba. “This program represents a key step in preparing Ivorian youth and women for a transforming economy, opening new avenues for innovation and growth. Through our collaboration with American companies like Cybastion and Cisco, we are making a lasting investment in the future of Côte d’Ivoire and contributing to the digital transformation of the entire region.»
The Cybastion Tech Academy is a regional training center aimed at contributing to job creation to stimulate economic growth and opportunities for youth and women. The workforce training program will also help bridge the digital divide by focusing on creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in urban and rural areas.
Faced with the growing demand for higher education in Côte d'Ivoire, the program will strengthen partnerships with American institutions such as North Carolina State University, George Mason University, and Carnegie Mellon University for training in digital skills and cybersecurity programs.
Francine Katsoudas, Executive Vice President and Head of People, Policy & Purpose at Cisco, said: “At Cisco, we believe in an inclusive, sustainable and secure digital future. As a global technology company, we bring our skills and expertise so that people and businesses in Africa can shape their digital future, driving social and economic inclusion at the grassroots. Over the past 25 years, we have invested more than $180 million and trained more than 1.6 million students in 53 African countries through our Networking Academies, including Ivory Coast. I look forward to continuing the success of this program in our future initiatives, working with the country's leadership and our Cisco Authorized Partner, Cybastion. »
