Learn new skills from anywhere<\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet hands-on and learn the Salesforce, digital, and soft skills you need to succeed from anywhere for free.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tLearn More<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t![\"blog-offer-trailhead\"](\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2022\/11\/blog-offer-trailhead.jpg\")
\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\u201cGiving back and positively contributing to society have always been huge driving factors for me,\u201d says Nell. \u201cAs well as commodity-based opportunities in West Africa, such as cashews and cocoa, there\u2019s huge potential to train people in digital skills. It\u2019s another route to a sustainable income without leaving their village, even if it’s remote – internet access permitting.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talking to universities, small businesses and other nonprofits, Nell saw there was a real appetite for people with these skills but not enough funding to bring credible programmes to fruition. \u201cI applied for grants, but the typical response was \u2018Why do you think you can do it?\u2019. Often, people like me don\u2019t have the pedigree to come to the table with an idea, you have to come with proof.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s one of the reasons why I set up Impact Studio L3C<\/a>, a low-profit, full-service cloud computing and training boutique firm, which aims to connect West Africans with access to the global digital economy via Salesforce. <\/b>Basically, I decided to set up the training pathway first and see where I could take it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nGetting hands-on<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Having already begun working with the University of Rhode Island Foundation<\/a> to offer free Salesforce Admin courses to marginalised communities in Rhode Island, Nell travelled to West Africa in September 2020. \u201cI teamed up with local partners and universities to host \u2018Introduction to Salesforce and Trailhead\u2019 courses, using existing, no-cost Salesforce training.\u201d <\/b>The programme is currently open to students from the four English-speaking West African countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia) and attracts a mix of men and women. To date, around 600 students have attended these sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\nQuite quickly, Nell had more than 20 Certified individuals who were asking – What can we do now? \u201cThe next hurdle to overcome was a lack of hands-on training. We didn\u2019t even have internships to offer them. So, I reached out to the wider Salesforce team to see if we could learn from the work being done in South Africa and leverage the knowledge that could create a true workforce initiative.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first thing Nell discovered was the importance of segmenting the different types of learners attracted to the training, according to need. \u201cOut of 600 students, some had been in the field for a while but needed help accessing the Salesforce ecosystem.<\/b> Others had five-plus years of experience working for international companies, knew the processes of getting visas and employment, and wanted a career change. But most were undergraduates without any work experience or \u2019softer\u2019 employability skills.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To address this, \u201cwe needed universities to run substantial courses with an accreditation at the end. The question was, would universities be interested? The answer was a resounding yes! <\/b>So, we created West Africa Digital Empowerment (WADE) and decided to pilot a two-year programme with The United Methodist University (UMU)<\/a> in Liberia, ensuring the course would be officially approved by university boards and the Ministry of Education. Now it\u2019s a full associate degree programme\u201d notes Nell. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPillars of Success<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Based on successful curriculums running in other countries, the first year of the associate degree programme gives students a full introduction to cloud computing and CRM, while the second year focuses on career readiness, hands-on experience and finding work. <\/b>Over 300 people applied for just 50 places on the pilot programme and 80% of the cohort are college graduates. The course is comprehensive, ensuring students gain core Admin and Developer skills in the first year and understand the business sales cycle so that they can truly find the right digital solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Trailhead Virtual Bootcamp<\/a> is incorporated into this year, and attending it was of huge benefit to students. <\/b>As Nell shares \u201cThey were able to interact with people on the same journey as them but from different places, such as the US and Europe. They loved the fact they felt more advanced than some other students and were able to answer more questions. It\u2019s given them a real glow and the belief that if they work hard, they can achieve something very special.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn year two, we\u2019re leveraging Career Spark,<\/a> an initiative that helps imagine what\u2019s possible in a Salesforce career. <\/b>Students will shadow different jobs to discover what they\u2019re passionate about and undertake internships which will eventually funnel them into employment pipelines. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing such enthusiasm from students. Recently, more than half attended a Salesforce South Africa virtual career fair just for the experience, despite knowing that only South Africans would be employable. We\u2019re also seeing the momentum build in other universities too. At least five are now interested in running this course\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMaking progress<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Despite having already achieved so much, Nell\u2019s plans are showing no signs of abating. \u201cSoon, we\u2019ll have trained Salesforce Certified Instructors in the region, which will improve the programme\u2019s sustainability.<\/b> I\u2019ve been self-funding so now I\u2019m trying to figure out how to raise funds and work even more closely with partners such as Women in Tech<\/a> in Liberia and YDev Academy<\/a> in Nigeria. The latter has already created 26 certified individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother issue we\u2019re solving is that you pay for data in West Africa, so a major focus is having a physical location in Liberia that people can work from. \u201cOur aim is to build a co-working space, with internet access that our cohorts can tap into. <\/b>I\u2019ve bought a quarter of an acre of land in Monrovia, Liberia, had architect designs drawn up and we\u2019re now raising funds to build a Salesforce Digital Hub by May 2024<\/a>. It\u2019s hugely exciting and means we can kickstart people\u2019s careers by giving them a physical place to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nWest Africa allows people to work interchangeably across all its 16 countries, and Nell\u2019s hope is that we will eventually expand across all of these. <\/b>\u201cWe just need to work on the French and Portuguese translations, which are the other main languages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nEmpowering others<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Culturally, West Africa embodies a community-driven ethos, which encourages those who have succeeded to lift up others by finding opportunities and providing hope. It means there\u2019s a natural motivation for students to progress their Salesforce journey and bring others along with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStudents are already feeling a sense of accomplishment and potential, which is driving them forward. They\u2019re so grateful for the support and feel like people are really investing in them, something they haven\u2019t had before.<\/b> Previously, if they\u2019d even known about the scope of the digital world, it would have felt unobtainable. But suddenly, they\u2019ve got access to 30 mentors from all over the ecosystem and senior leaders, such as Stuart Mills<\/a> (VP Trailhead and Ecosystem, EMEA), showing up and taking an interest. Social capital is important in West Africa, and students really appreciate people who will advocate on their behalf. That\u2019s why they\u2019re so excited and telling others about these opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nNell\u2019s focus now is making sure the end goal is met – that meaningful employment is possible. <\/b>No one wants a situation where certified people are unemployed. \u201cThere are many barriers for West African talent to be hired, so we have to work together to reduce those barriers,\u201d Nell explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\u201cGiving back and positively contributing to society have always been huge driving factors for me,\u201d says Nell. \u201cAs well as commodity-based opportunities in West Africa, such as cashews and cocoa, there\u2019s huge potential to train people in digital skills. It\u2019s another route to a sustainable income without leaving their village, even if it’s remote – internet access permitting.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talking to universities, small businesses and other nonprofits, Nell saw there was a real appetite for people with these skills but not enough funding to bring credible programmes to fruition. \u201cI applied for grants, but the typical response was \u2018Why do you think you can do it?\u2019. Often, people like me don\u2019t have the pedigree to come to the table with an idea, you have to come with proof.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s one of the reasons why I set up Impact Studio L3C<\/a>, a low-profit, full-service cloud computing and training boutique firm, which aims to connect West Africans with access to the global digital economy via Salesforce. <\/b>Basically, I decided to set up the training pathway first and see where I could take it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having already begun working with the University of Rhode Island Foundation<\/a> to offer free Salesforce Admin courses to marginalised communities in Rhode Island, Nell travelled to West Africa in September 2020. \u201cI teamed up with local partners and universities to host \u2018Introduction to Salesforce and Trailhead\u2019 courses, using existing, no-cost Salesforce training.\u201d <\/b>The programme is currently open to students from the four English-speaking West African countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia) and attracts a mix of men and women. To date, around 600 students have attended these sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Quite quickly, Nell had more than 20 Certified individuals who were asking – What can we do now? \u201cThe next hurdle to overcome was a lack of hands-on training. We didn\u2019t even have internships to offer them. So, I reached out to the wider Salesforce team to see if we could learn from the work being done in South Africa and leverage the knowledge that could create a true workforce initiative.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n The first thing Nell discovered was the importance of segmenting the different types of learners attracted to the training, according to need. \u201cOut of 600 students, some had been in the field for a while but needed help accessing the Salesforce ecosystem.<\/b> Others had five-plus years of experience working for international companies, knew the processes of getting visas and employment, and wanted a career change. But most were undergraduates without any work experience or \u2019softer\u2019 employability skills.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To address this, \u201cwe needed universities to run substantial courses with an accreditation at the end. The question was, would universities be interested? The answer was a resounding yes! <\/b>So, we created West Africa Digital Empowerment (WADE) and decided to pilot a two-year programme with The United Methodist University (UMU)<\/a> in Liberia, ensuring the course would be officially approved by university boards and the Ministry of Education. Now it\u2019s a full associate degree programme\u201d notes Nell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on successful curriculums running in other countries, the first year of the associate degree programme gives students a full introduction to cloud computing and CRM, while the second year focuses on career readiness, hands-on experience and finding work. <\/b>Over 300 people applied for just 50 places on the pilot programme and 80% of the cohort are college graduates. The course is comprehensive, ensuring students gain core Admin and Developer skills in the first year and understand the business sales cycle so that they can truly find the right digital solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Trailhead Virtual Bootcamp<\/a> is incorporated into this year, and attending it was of huge benefit to students. <\/b>As Nell shares \u201cThey were able to interact with people on the same journey as them but from different places, such as the US and Europe. They loved the fact they felt more advanced than some other students and were able to answer more questions. It\u2019s given them a real glow and the belief that if they work hard, they can achieve something very special.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In year two, we\u2019re leveraging Career Spark,<\/a> an initiative that helps imagine what\u2019s possible in a Salesforce career. <\/b>Students will shadow different jobs to discover what they\u2019re passionate about and undertake internships which will eventually funnel them into employment pipelines. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing such enthusiasm from students. Recently, more than half attended a Salesforce South Africa virtual career fair just for the experience, despite knowing that only South Africans would be employable. We\u2019re also seeing the momentum build in other universities too. At least five are now interested in running this course\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite having already achieved so much, Nell\u2019s plans are showing no signs of abating. \u201cSoon, we\u2019ll have trained Salesforce Certified Instructors in the region, which will improve the programme\u2019s sustainability.<\/b> I\u2019ve been self-funding so now I\u2019m trying to figure out how to raise funds and work even more closely with partners such as Women in Tech<\/a> in Liberia and YDev Academy<\/a> in Nigeria. The latter has already created 26 certified individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another issue we\u2019re solving is that you pay for data in West Africa, so a major focus is having a physical location in Liberia that people can work from. \u201cOur aim is to build a co-working space, with internet access that our cohorts can tap into. <\/b>I\u2019ve bought a quarter of an acre of land in Monrovia, Liberia, had architect designs drawn up and we\u2019re now raising funds to build a Salesforce Digital Hub by May 2024<\/a>. It\u2019s hugely exciting and means we can kickstart people\u2019s careers by giving them a physical place to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n West Africa allows people to work interchangeably across all its 16 countries, and Nell\u2019s hope is that we will eventually expand across all of these. <\/b>\u201cWe just need to work on the French and Portuguese translations, which are the other main languages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Culturally, West Africa embodies a community-driven ethos, which encourages those who have succeeded to lift up others by finding opportunities and providing hope. It means there\u2019s a natural motivation for students to progress their Salesforce journey and bring others along with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStudents are already feeling a sense of accomplishment and potential, which is driving them forward. They\u2019re so grateful for the support and feel like people are really investing in them, something they haven\u2019t had before.<\/b> Previously, if they\u2019d even known about the scope of the digital world, it would have felt unobtainable. But suddenly, they\u2019ve got access to 30 mentors from all over the ecosystem and senior leaders, such as Stuart Mills<\/a> (VP Trailhead and Ecosystem, EMEA), showing up and taking an interest. Social capital is important in West Africa, and students really appreciate people who will advocate on their behalf. That\u2019s why they\u2019re so excited and telling others about these opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nell\u2019s focus now is making sure the end goal is met – that meaningful employment is possible. <\/b>No one wants a situation where certified people are unemployed. \u201cThere are many barriers for West African talent to be hired, so we have to work together to reduce those barriers,\u201d Nell explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\nGetting hands-on<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pillars of Success<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Making progress<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Empowering others<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n