It was a joyous moment as the famous indigenous software company, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited, graduated the first set of graduate interns under its Sidmach AppFactory Program which runs like a software academy.
A total of 12 fresh university graduates participated in the six months programmes; an offshoot of Microsoft App Factory initiative.
Speaking at the ceremony held at its head office in Lagos, the Managing Director of Sidmach, Mr. Peter Arogundade, said although they embraced the Microsoft initiative as part of a measure to assist young graduates to become better equipped to face the world of entrepreneurship.
Mr. Arogundade described App Factory as a wonderful platform to learn, unlearn and relearn; garner knowledge, skills and become competitive.
“Sidmach is always looking out for opportunities to add value in the lives of young Nigerians and startups. That is why we keyed-in to the Microsoft App Factory initiative. It is true that most Nigerian graduates lack the prerequisite practical knowledge, skills and agility to face their counterparts in other part of the world, however, it is high time, as a country, we stopped blaming them, rather provide platforms for them to get equipped to succeed.
“On the other hand, the gap between the industry and the academia is so wide, but with programmes like this it can be addressed. Today, the 12 interns are tested and certified in software development and other softskills that will help them succeed and they are not leaving the doors of Sidmach; they will stay back and work with us in developing solutions for different sectors like education, health, finance, agriculture, amongst others”.
A participant shares her experience
Expatiating on Sidmach’s interest in the App Factory programme, the Co-founder and Chairman, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited, Mr. Chijioke Eke, regretted that most universities (in Nigeria) are still trapped in the old theories and practical apparatuses thereby denying the students adequate knowledge for 21stCentury application development.
“Sidmach ventured into this internship that is practical oriented to assist the fresh graduates to overcome some constraints”, he said.
He urged the interns to make the best use of the knowledge they garnered during the six-months training. “As you match on to the future of development of solutions, professionalism and value additions lie on your shoulders. There must be something different between you who are now practical-oriented and those still trapped in the web of theories.
“The future of our country, the citizens and indeed the world depends on you as app developers. I want to re-echo the MD’s statement that you are no leaving the doors of Sidmach. We are retaining you and will strengthen the Academy to assist more graduates,” Mr. Eke said.
The Chairman who showered encomiums on Microsoft for initiating the programme, also called for further investments in youth development as a panacea to unemployment and restiveness.
Commenting about the Academy, the Director of Marketing and Operations, Microsoft Nigeria, Ade Ajayi, said that Microsoft exists because it believes in the relevance of developers to impact the world economy. “We believe developers can change the world with the keyboard and their ten fingers.
“Microsoft recently acquired GitHub which is in the developer platform. The point is that developers will continue to change the world. So, every intern who passes through the App Factory internship programme should take it veryserious,” he said. “Sidmach bought into the idea and Microsoft is happy to have partners like Sidmach which is among the top one thousand partners we have in Nigeria”.
He hinted on Microsoft’s plans to double the commitments to App Factory.
Sidmach AppFactory graduation ceremony 2018