CNCF and Andela Join Forces to Train 30,000 African Cloud Native Technologists

The Cloud Native Computing Foundation® (CNCF®), which builds sustainable ecosystems for cloud native software, along with Linux Foundation Education, the training and certification arm of the Linux Foundation, has partnered with Andela, home to the world’s largest private tech talent marketplace, to train 20,000 to 30,000 African technologists in cloud native basics to enable them to excel in jobs globally as cloud native development grows.

The training—done at no cost to the participants—will begin next year and unfold over two to three years. Participants will have the opportunity to train for the Kubernetes and Cloud Native associate (KCNA) certification, which demonstrates a user’s foundational knowledge and skills in Kubernetes and the wider cloud native ecosystem, and the Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD), which certifies that users can design, build, configure, and expose cloud native applications for Kubernetes.

This partnership showcases the global impact of CNCF’s education programs. By standardizing cloud native knowledge, developers across the globe can confidently work toward certifications that will enable them to land developer positions both within their own countries and globally. By partnering with Andela, which has a long history of training technologists in Africa, we see great opportunity in providing our training to communities that may otherwise not have access. Together we can create a win-win for companies that need workers and workers that need opportunities.

– Chris Aniszczyk, CTO, CNCF

According to Google’s Africa Developer Ecosystem Report 2021, the increased global demand for remote tech talent, which was accelerated by the pandemic, created more remote employment opportunities for African developers. Now, 38% of African software developers work for at least one company based outside of the continent.

​​​We are excited to partner with CNCF to extend training and, ultimately, enhance job opportunities for African workers. The continent is emerging as one of the most important markets in the world. It has the fastest-growing population of developers, and its young workforce will be key to solving the tech talent shortage. Organizations are looking for talent with advanced skill sets like AI and cloud native and this particular skill set is a perfect addition to the Andela marketplace.

– Carrol Chang, CEO, Andela

Training participants will take six to nine months to achieve the KCNA and CKAD certifications and will be selected from Andela’s talent marketplace, which includes 150,000 technology professionals globally with a large percentage from Africa. Andela’s talent marketplace in Africa spans 49 countries; including Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana. The company fosters an active community for marketplace participants and has worked with numerous companies, including Google, Meta, Microsoft, AWS, and Nvidia to train talent in technologies that offer vast workplace opportunities.

The need for cloud native developers continues to increase and a recent study by CNCF revealed that almost 55% of developers landed a new job as a result of training and certification courses. Almost 7 in 10 (67%) said it made them feel more engaged and fulfilled in their work. But 8 in 10 (81%) also said cost prevented them from completing certifications.

As a non-profit focused on growing open source and cultivating the IT talent needed to sustain it, partnerships – like this one with Andela – help us train and certify underrepresented groups, which is crucial to both our long-term success and amplify our impact.

– Clyde Seepersad, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Linux Foundation Education