Recently named among the Global Good Fund’s seventh cohort of Fellows in 2019, Nigerian entrepreneur and Chevening Scholar, Eyitayo Ogunmola, is the founder of UTIVA, a talent accelerator aiming to rapidly develop Africa’s motivated young people. In this interview, he spoke about how the platform helps with skill sets to transform youth from entry-level positions at start-ups and large corporations.
How has it been in your quest for excellence?
Every time I get tired, I remember what I went through as a young graduate and how I almost lost my entire sense of worth because I couldn’t find a job! For someone who has never been lost, for 2 years, it might sound so untrue but unemployment is real. That is why I started Utiva and that is our mission; to develop learning programs that will reduce unemployment in Africa.
Before I started Utiva, I worked as Vice president of a consulting company in Nigeria and the UK. I had also worked with one of the biggest international development consulting companies in the US before moving back to Nigeria in 2017.
What does Utiva entail?
When you think about Utiva, think about an organization that is first, helping people figure out the skills that are super relevant to employers and the ‘Future of Work’. A company that uses technology to help people develop these skills.
At Utiva, we are positioned to solve a major challenge that is haunting companies in Nigeria, especially those in the emerging sectors. The truth is that Nigerians are super smart people caught up in a country that doesn’t do so well in nurturing or developing these talents. There are no systems to prepare our Human Capital for the Future of Work and Industry. For us, we are preparing Nigerian University students and recent graduates for the job market and also working with professionals to develop critical skills that will drive the future.
What are these relevant skills for the Future of Work’?
I know this is usually a bitter pill to swallow for many people, but technology is changing the way we work, the way value is delivered to customers and captured back to organizations. This technology thing is real! The faster you think about it, the more prepared you become.
Let me give you an instance, one of the studies published by the World Economic Forum in 2018, mentions the top 10 skills that will be in demand by 2022. Our team of 14 practice lead examined these skills and realized that they are already in huge demand in Nigeria. Skills like Data Analytics, Search Engine Optimization, Artificial Intelligence, Growth Hacking, Product Design, Product Marketing etc. Think about it this way; the rise of the technology industry or technology-powered sectors will mean that these skills will be highly demanded.
You have a Data Academy; How does it work?
Have you heard that Data is the new Oil? Yes, data is everything. Let me give you some instances and make it easy. Businesses are using data to gain competitive advantages. Our vision is to make data analytics a skill that every Nigerian professional can have on their skills shelf. If you can analyze your firm’s data, you can help that firm make more intelligent decisions.
Currently, we have a learning program for recent graduates and also professionals who are already in the job market. The focus however differs. For the recent graduates, it is to get new jobs which allow them to practice. For professionals, it is an upskill learning program for productivity.
What impact have you seen with those you have trained?
Over the months, we have seen outstanding results. Sometimes, I am overwhelmed by what can happen when people develop their capacity. When we get news like one of our university students just became a Google Policy Fellow, or just got a commonwealth scholarship to study in the UK among other great news, we leap for joy.
Today, we are at a 75% transition rate for our students. The exciting thing is that we have developed a model that helps our recent graduates transition into new roles after completing their learning programme from the Data incubator. We recently discovered that over 80% of the professionals that are joining our learning programme say their level of productivity has increased tremendously.
What are your plans for expansion in Nigeria?
We are launching a centre in Ibadan and another physical learning centre in Abuja and Port Harcourt. While all our learning can be deployed through our digital platform, we will have the physical classes to consolidate the entire learning process.
