The Role of Digital Skills Training on Employability: A Case Study of the Delta State Emerging Markets Model Initiative (EMMI)

By Oluwatosin Mayor-Olabiyitan and Oluwafemi Awopegba

Background

A high level of unemployment is one of the critical socio-economic problems facing Nigeria. The proportion of youths (including newly graduated students) in the labour force keeps increasing, thus posing a strain on the slow growing economy to absorb the new labour market entrants (Kayode et al., 2014). As a result, youths are particularly affected by rising unemployment. Moreover, young people are more likely to be employed in jobs of low quality, underemployed, working long hours for low wages, engaged in dangerous work or receive only short-term and/or informal employment arrangements. In addition, youth undertake jobs that are contrary to or lower than their academic qualifications or areas of specialization. In Nigeria, 97.1% of underemployed youths work under inhumane conditions, with low pay and little or no welfare benefits such as insurance, medical aids, pension, and gratuity (Osabuohien et al., 2019).

The effects of youth unemployment cannot be undermined. It leads to a perpetual cycle of vulnerability and poverty. Furthermore, it leads to imbalances in the labour market and economic exclusion which ultimately hampers economic growth (Efobi et al., 2017). Youth unemployment also deepens social challenges like cybercrime, armed robbery, urban violence, and prostitution (Ajibike et al., 2019). The rise of such challenges sounds the alarm for the need to empower youth for employment. One of the most promising solutions to youth unemployment is the intentional and systematic acquisition of digital skills.

Digital skills have become vital because all sectors are now digitalized. The youths of the digital age are required to learn ICT (Information and Communication Technology) skills in order to survive in the virtual world and succeed in their careers, since employers are taking into account digital abilities when hiring workers (Fau et al., 2018). Digital technology can be used to support youth development through opportunities for learning that increase competence and confidence.

Digital skill is the ability to use digital technology to access online contents. It can also refer to skills that are required for operating digital media, computers, and cell phones (Oyedemi et al., 2014). Generally, digital skills can provide decent job opportunities for unemployed youths of different gender groups. It also creates jobs without borders as it enables people to work from anywhere, and with flexible working hours.

Studies have shown that many youths lack the requisite skills for using digital technology productively ( Efobi et al., 2017: Osabuohien et al., 2019). Hence, the need for an increase in international and local efforts toward digital skills training for youths. One of the many efforts targeted at promoting digital skills training for youth is that of the Delta State Emerging Markets Model Initiative (EMMI), which resolves to train youths in Delta State on digital skills to boost their employability.

According to a report from the Foundation for partnership, Initiatives in the Niger Delta, Delta State has a total labour force of 2,494,452 and residents unemployed (1,005, 848). Nigeria Bureau of Statistics 2nd quarter 2020 ranked the State third among the South-South States at unemployed rate of 40.36% and underemployed 20.1%. This implies that the youth un-employment rate will even be higher, and has been projected to be in the region of about 64%.

The Role of Delta State EMMI in Creating Employment Opportunities

The Emerging Market Model Initiative (EMMI) is a multi-year, multi-stakeholder private-public-non-profit partnership designed by Microsoft and implemented by Technology for Social Change and Development Initiative (Tech4Dev), a non-profit organization established to empower African communities with digital skills that will bridge the gap of unskilled labor needed for the future of work.

A key outcome of the initiative is to provide access to digital skills training (from basic digital literacy to advanced training) for young people in Nigeria between the ages of 16 and 35. In 2022, the initiative set out to train a total of 80 beneficiaries in three top technology skills — Cybersecurity, Product Design and Software Development — over a 12-month period. Moreover, the initiative set out to build the capacity of key government MDAs. Thus, in addition to the youths, the program included about 34 civil servants among the beneficiaries (43%).

Although the initiative was designed to tackle the problem of unemployment, the majority of the beneficiaries (74%) were already employed by the start of the training. The high employment rate could be heavily influenced by the inclusion of civil servants. Nevertheless, the registration numbers show that there was a sizeable group of people that were either unemployed/student (21%) or part-time/underemployed (20%).

With respect to their employment status, the analysis of the registration data shows that most of the participants in the training were working in tech roles, while 23% of the participants were working in non-tech occupations. Notably, there was no statistical difference in the employment outcomes between participants who had STEM education and those who did not. In other words, a lack of STEM educational background was not a deterrence to participants pursuing a technology-related career. Moreover, the participants took the training as a means of boosting their technology skills and competency for the current technology demands and opportunities of the work place.

By the end of the training, there were notable testimonials about the impact of the training on the beneficiaries’ employment outcomes. A beneficiary in the software development learning track noted: “the training opened multiple doors to 2 Job offers, and a possible promotion if I chose to stay with the old employer, and personal remote jobs, amongst others. Moving forward, I hope to offer solutions to help solve problems while providing professional services to clients.” This example illustrates the variety of employment opportunities that are open to those with technology skills.

Another beneficiary, who already had a job as a civil servant, spoke about the value of the product design training: “I am going to do designs daily. Because any attempt to take a break will have a negative impact on me. I hope to use the knowledge gained from the training to improve on my job as a public servant.” This example highlights that for those already in a [permanent] job (I.e. civil service), the knowledge gained from the training can help improve their productivity and overall [technology-related] value to their workplace (as well as e-government initiatives).

Conclusion

The findings from the Emerging Market Model Initiative (EMMI) digital skills training program revealed that digital skills training platforms can provide social and economic benefits for all youth groups. Findings from the literature search revealed a high level of unemployment among youth due to a lack of digital skills. However, according to the findings from the Delta state EMMI program, the bulk of the beneficiaries were employed when the training program began though there was a sizable number of beneficiaries who were unemployed. The fact that the beneficiaries were enrolling for an advanced training program implies that they were already digitally competent at the basic level which in turn could have contributed to their impressive employment status, especially in the field of tech, prior to the program.

Furthermore, most of recipients of the Delta state EMMI (an advanced kind of digital skill training) applied to receive better value or earnings in the digital ecosystem. Thus, by the training’s conclusion, there were remarkable testimonies on how the training had affected the beneficiaries’ employment outcomes.

The lessons learned from the digital skills training can thus be helpful in enhancing the level of preparedness among stakeholders for the delivery of advanced digital skills training that will support the creation of decent jobs for young people in Nigeria. Additionally, young people can participate in digital skill training regardless of their educational background thus improving their technological skills and competencies for the opportunities and demands of the modern workplace.

References

Ajibike, T (2019). Youth and cybercrime in Nigeria. The Punch. https://punchng.com/youth-and-cybercrime-in-nigeria/ accessed 22/7/19

Efobi, U and Orkoh, E (2017). Assessing youth development in Sub-Saharan Africa with a multidimensional index,

Fau, S., & Moreau, Y. (2018). Managing tomorrow’s digital skills-what conclusions can we draw from international comparative indicators?.

Kayode, A., Arome, A., & Silas, A. (2014). The rising rate of unemployment in Nigeria: the socio-economic and political implications. Global Business and Economics Research Journal, 3(1).

Osabuohien, E., Olokoyo, F., Efobi, U., Karakara, A. & Beecroft, I (2019). Largescale Land Investments and Households’ Livelihood in Nigeria: Empirical Insights

Oyedemi, T (2014) Beyond access: Youth and digital skills, Communication, 40(2), 137–154, DOI: 10.1080/02500167.2014.907191