ConTech Celebrates Membership Milestone & Launches Mentorship Program
We celebrate over 1,000 members on Slack and over 3,000 in our email community, as well as our partnership with Treford.
November 2022 marked the beginning of ConTech Africa, a vibrant community of creators looking to grow in or transition into the ever-evolving world of technology. Today, we are thrilled to announce that ConTech has surpassed a significant milestone, welcoming over 1,000 passionate members into our Slack network and over 3,000 into our email community. To further drive growth, we’re launching several new initiatives 🎉🚀
At ConTech, we believe that technology holds endless opportunities for creators. We are firm believers in the fact that creativity will shape the future of technology.
ConTech is making it easy for creators to grow in and transition into tech
When Daniel Orubo decided to transition into tech, he was overwhelmed. He wasn't sure which of the skills he had picked up from his years in media would come in handy and which new ones he’d have to learn from scratch. He eventually figured it out after reading countless articles and taking a few courses.
Still, he wondered how much smoother the experience would have been if he had people who had gone through/were going through something similar to lean on. Then, as other creators flooded his LinkedIn DMs to ask for tips on transitioning, he was inspired to start ConTech, a community for African creators navigating the tech landscape.
Initiatives uniquely designed for all kinds of creators
In November, when we launched, all we had was a Slack community, where members could network, discover job opportunities and learn from each other. However, as we spoke to creators in and out of the community, we were continuously inspired by several different ways to make the community more useful to them. We built a roadmap of different initiatives to foster growth and development.
Since then, we have launched:
Scholarship Funds: One of our pioneer programmes was the scholarship fund, which more than 130 members have benefited from. These scholarships allow beginner and mid-level creators to take courses on edtech platforms like Udemy, Domestika and Treford to gain a foundation or grounding in their chosen no-code career path. We also just officially partnered with Treford to provide our members with even more access to valuable learning resources.
ConTech Corner: Every month, we host at least one group mentoring session and invite thought leaders in marketing, product or design to discuss their tech journey and answer our members’ burning questions. So far, we’ve had brilliant speakers like Daniel Abayomi (Product Designer, Meta), Layo Ogunbawo (Product Leader) and Victor Fatanmi (Co-founder, Fullgap and FourthCanvas).
CV Reviews: As we share job opportunities with our members, we realised just how critical it was to prepare for creators to put their best foot forward. With our CV review programme in partnership with CV Loft, a resume company, we provide members with professionally-reviewed CV revamps at a discount. We’ve also paid for over 30 members to have their CVs completely redone for free.
Webinars: Every month, over Twitter Spaces, professionals in tech break down several hard and soft skills to community members and other creators looking to grow in their career path. We’ve explored topics like interviewing for the tech job you want, designing a successful content strategy, and more.
ConTech Africa’s Newsletter: We provide bi-weekly profiles and articles on the art and science of growing your tech career via our Substack newsletter. You can subscribe here.
Introducing the ConTech Mentorship Program
To further amplify our mission of fostering growth and development, we are excited to introduce the ConTech Mentorship Program. This program brings together some of the most accomplished leaders in the tech industry, who have generously volunteered their time and expertise to guide and inspire our community members.
The ConTech Mentorship Program is designed to bridge the gap between aspiring tech enthusiasts and seasoned professionals. By connecting our members with these remarkable mentors, we aim to empower individuals to accelerate their growth, gain valuable insights, and build invaluable connections within the industry. This unique opportunity will allow mentees to learn firsthand from experienced leaders who have traversed similar paths and overcome challenges along the way.
In this pilot programme, we have eight mentors with backgrounds in marketing, product and design.
Daniel Abayomi is a Product Designer at Meta
Aderinsola Adeyanju is a Product Designer at JP Morgan Chase
Adedolapo Awonowo is a Former Product Manager, Kuda
Tunde Kabir is a Product Design Manager at Kuda
Timothy Nkenu is a Product Manager
Taslim Okunola is a Global Strategy & Operations Manager at Google
Yanmo Omorogbe is the Chief Operating Officer at Bamboo
Daniel Orubo is the Head of Content and Content Strategy at PiggyVest
To benefit from this initiative as a mentee, you need to be a part of the community. Fill this form to join the community and signify interest in joining the second edition of the mentorship programme. The selection process will be based on alignment of goals, interests, and availability, ensuring the best possible match between mentees and mentors. To sign up as a mentor, kindly fill this form.
Introducing the No-Code Salary Tool and Report
In our drive to continuously upskill our members, we believe it’s just as important to demystify the tech industry. With very little information about remuneration for no-code roles, we’re launching the No-Code Salary Tool and Report to help tech professionals in Nigeria understand the compensation and benefits for their career paths.
If you’re a no-code professional, fill out this quick anonymous form to tell us about what you earn in tech.
Introducing the ConTech Website
When we launched ConTech, we didn’t have an operational website where creators could learn more about what we do. We’re excited to announce that the first version of our website is now live at Contechafrica.com. Learn more about what we do and who we are by visiting the link and share widely with creators and other professionals looking to build lucrative careers in tech.
As we embark on this exciting new chapter, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated members, mentors, donors, partners and supporters who have made ConTech such a thriving community in just a few months. Together, we will continue to empower creators, nurture talent, and shape the future of technology.
If you haven't joined ConTech yet, we invite you to become part of our growing community of tech enthusiasts. Whether you're just starting your journey or looking to take the next big leap, ConTech is here to support you every step of the way.