Andela, one of the most elite engineering organization in Africa, started with the simple purpose of distributing opportunity irrespective of gender, race or nationality. Over the past five years since its inception, they have employed over 1500 engineers who are working with more than 200 of the world’s most respected technology companies which are mostly located outside the continent.
Today, as the talent world has evolved with less demand for junior engineers and more demand for mid-level and senior developers, Andela is making the rapid transition from training developers to take on opportunities to becoming a human resource organization that connects senior developers to the more competitive opportunities out there. This is a tough decision for the organization, which has several challenges that have cropped up necessitating this.
The primary demand for software engineers which Andela supplies are from the US. Speaking with Quartz, Seni Sulyman, Andela’s Vice President of Global Operations, explained that the rise of developer training schools like Lambda and Flatiron in the US is reducing the training period for developers. He said
“Computer science schools in universities have also ramped up their programs… What that has done is create a massive flux of junior engineers in the US…which is our primary market”.
-Seni Sulyman
Hence, to stand out, Andela has to shift its focus from junior developers “demand is heavily skewed towards more senior talent.”
As a result, 400+ software developers or engineers will be laid off from the company’s three main location – 250 employees from Nigeria and Uganda and 170 from Kenya. The Rwandan branch of the company will continue to train talents to junior developer level. The implication of this action by Andela has both its pros and cons.
On the pro side, the release of the ex-Andelans into the local start-up ecosystem will result in some meaningful partnerships that may birth forth some new company which may operate like Andela in training talents into senior level engineers that can be absorbed by Andela or meet the global demand that will soon get more competitive. Also, there is something right in which Andela is doing. As such, their formerly trained employees will be on the high demand by businesses and organizations where they can continue to solve problems whether on the local, national or global scale.
On the other hand, the former employees released into the ecosystem may have to compete with developers with lower expertise for a low pay compared to Andela. Plus, the amount of opportunities and experience Andela offers may only be available to few who either have enough connections or rough it out to create their own pathway. It is predicted that by year 2020, Andela would have employed 700 senior developers. Therefore, the recently released employees can reapply for a position in the company if they are able to grow themselves into the qualifications required.
This new development comes with a two-pronged effect – good news and a challenge. Overall, this is coming from a company committed to building engineering developers that can take on global challenges without laying out high promises and failing the individuals concerned. Today, Andela Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda no longer trains developers but employs senior developers in order to meet the global demand making it entirely focused on human resource which it previously also does.
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Source:
Andela
Techcabal
Featured Image Source: The Guardian NG
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