BIH Launches Online Platform

Staff Writer | Monday October 8, 2018 12:13

The launch attracted more than 50 entrepreneurs, start-ups, developers and officials who were introduced to IBM’s free, self-paced learning platform that sparks innovation.

The D–NA platform offers the citizens of Botswana a free online learning platform, which allows users gain IBM Digital Badges to validate their knowledge and skills. According to BIH, their mandate is to support innovation and entrepreneurship development within Botswana and the D–NA platform aligns with their objective. “We are excited to have partnered with IBM for the benefit of our innovators and entrepreneurs, enabling them to tap into IBM’s cloud platform services and drive business growth that’s founded on innovative digital solutions.”

Following the launch of the Digital Nation Programme, the BIH will host a series training sessions and workshops to empower youth with digital knowledge and practical skills.

D–NA has been implemented with three enablement segments. The first, entitled Explorers, provides users with fundamental knowledge of the key technologies, which are shaping the Digital world, such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Internet of Things.

The second is called ‘Innovators’, which is designed to provide the user with inspiration, method and means to create innovative and valuable digital solutions, while the final section is call ‘New Collar’, referencing the fact that the digital age is creating and will create many new job roles.

“This section leverages the power of IBM’s own Artificial Intelligence engine, Watson. It has three key features, an engagement with Watson to build the user’s own profile, a collection of online interactive technical courses, and, again using Watson, a detailed view of the current African job.”

IBM developed the D–NA offering to provide the youth of Africa with the means to both join the new age and help grow their future careers.

IBM has been in Africa for almost 100 years and has a strong track record of aiding local skills development and supporting national skills development programmes.