Deimos, an African-focused technological company, which is into custom software development, cloud-native architectures that help enterprises across the continent, is working to create more employable platforms, nurture and grow technological talents within the continent.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Statesman, the Senior Engineering Manager at Deimos, Yekeen Ajeigbe, explained that the organisation is aiming at leading cloud-native solutions provision in Africa to ensure businesses get the best from their technology.
He stressed the importance of nurturing homegrown talents to help increase the share of the global engineer market.
“We believe that there is no greater group than African developers and entrepreneurs who can utilise their skills and ingenuity to solve local issues and empower their communities. So, as the need for these tech skills continues to rise in Africa, we are fully committed to contributing to help plug the gap and solve the tech skills shortage on the continent,” he reiterated.
That, he indicated, is supported through a range of different initiatives Deimos had created or supported, including internship programmes and sponsorship of ‘She Code Africa’, as well as creating a home for some of Africa’s best engineering talents. ‘She Code Africa’ empowers young girls and women in tech across Africa.
Bridging tech gap
Touching on ensuring more level playing field to bridge tech gap on the continent, Yekeen Ajeigbe said Deimos is focused on hiring, nurturing and growing more tech talents within Africa.
He disclosed that his outfit had hired exceptionally talented developers from South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Senegal.
This, he said, is done in partnership with ‘She Code Africa’, which has provided internship opportunities for young female ‘Site Reliability Engineers’ based in Nigeria.
“To date, Demois has had eight Site Reliability Engineering interns who joined us from She Code Africa. In addition, we have a successful Software Engineering Internship programme where young software engineers follow a structured 6-month programme and get the opportunity to work and learn from experienced team members, with a significant percentage then being retained as junior engineers at Deimos,” he revealed.
He projects that in 2023 his outfit will focus on improving its internship programmes, and start incorporating interns from other African countries, such as Kenya or Ghana.
The aim, he indicated, is to create an environment where Africans abroad can come back home to work with African clients, and contribute towards supporting successful businesses on the continent.
Achievements
On his organisation’s successes, Yekeen Ajeigbe said Deimos actively promotes ongoing training and development, noting that “it is through our commitment to education and training that we achieved the first Google Security Specialisation certification in Africa last year”.
This milestone, he stated, is a testament to the company’s dedication to providing its employees with the resources and knowledge they need to succeed.
He reaffirmed Deimos’ commitment to raising the awareness of the importance of technology, as well as continue to invest in talents in Africa, with special focus on female engineers.
“The first piece of advice for learning technology is to start somewhere and stay consistent. With the technology industry constantly evolving, it is essential to stay abreast of the latest developments and trends. Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent and free online resources available to learners, such as https://www.w3schools.com/, to help them stay ahead of the curve.
“Network and build relationships as well as seek out mentors who can provide guidance and support, including joining a tech community (e.g. She Code Africa, forLoop etc.) can also be a great way to meet like-minded people and learn from others. Be persistent and don’t be afraid to fail. The tech industry can be challenging, but it’s important to remember that failure is a part of the learning process. Stay motivated and don’t give up on your goals,” he added.
