Next month, youth content agency, Livity Africa, in partnership with Google, IAB and the British Council, is launching Digify Bytes, a training program to introduce the basic concepts of digital marketing to 48 000 students across South Africa.
Students will get the chance to become acquainted with the essentials of the digital industry and gets hands-on experience with the different elements of digital marketing. The program also hopes to create a pipeline for students to pursue careers and entrepreneurship opportunities in the industry.
The program, is a spin-off the original three-month Digify bootcamp for 18 to 25-year-olds which gives youths free digital training and the chance to be recruited by some of the biggest industry players in South Africa.
Digify Bytes sessions will be facilitated by Digify bootcamp alumni who are now working in the digital industry. The program will consist of brief, practical exercises on resources such as Google Analytics.
Livity Africa managing director, Gavin Weale told htxt.africa “We’re trying to make maximum impact in the shortest amount of time, so the two days is an experiment we’re going to play around with.”
“If 1 000 of the young people we’re targeting get a job through Digify Bytes, we’ll be very happy. If the other group come away with an awareness of digital careers and having that knowledge leads them to a job in the industry, then we feel like we’ll be successful,” he said “We are realistic that two days won’t ensure that people get jobs, but we do think they can use this as a launchpad and we will be keeping in touch with them to pass through relevant opportunities and resources.”
Weale also mentioned that Livity Africa will have an online community where students can engage, get more information, set up profiles and create CVs in order to pitch themselves to potential employers.
Livity Africa is hosting Digify Bytes at a number of venues in Gauteng already – any other institutions that want to take part and host Digify Bytes sessions can start by emailing Gugu Kheswa on gugu@livity.co.uk or Polly Sekwale on polly@livity.co.uk.
