In this episode, we get insights from one of the great minds of the Nigerian tech ecosystem, Iyin Aboyeji (@iaboyeji) of Andela - a global talent accelerator that aims to produce 100,000 world class software developers across Africa in 10 years.
https://soundcloud.com/digitaldrift-1/digital-drift-episode-7
If people liked Andela more than they already do now, it would get weird.
āPeople that could build amazing companies on their own come together to build something awesome.ā ā¦I think Iyin said. Basically what needs to happen more. Great podcast.
Whoa, @Tonianni jumps in without warning at 17:30, haha.
Could we get ālongerā summaries? For me to dedicate almost an hour of my time to these things Iād like to know what to expect in the interview.
Good listen. A few points I would have raised as I sadly enjoy probing smokescreensā¦
Why is Andela attracted to Nigeria, Africa? Will their business model apply if we didnāt have an oversupply of young people looking for jobs? Is Nigeria attractive primarily because of the lower cost base?
Four years is a LONG time to train to become a developer. Think about the associated opportunity cost. In general, people spend 4-6 years ālearningā (albeit dysfunctional) at Nigerian universities. Dedicating another 4 years towards ālearningā (yes even work-based learning) seems a big ask. It is not clear how the compensation is adjusted year on year.
Intrigued to see the ratio of non-graduates Andela has taken on. Point being, you do not need a degree to learn how to code. It becomes attractive if you donāt have to spend 4 years gaining a degree, and then another 4 years learning again. YOLO. I can think of so many career paths that donāt necessarily need a degree and a software developer is certainly one.
This is my dream! We take on a lot of non-graduates. We are getting close to 10% now. Will probably continue to rise. We just had a guy (our youngest fellow) turn down Unilag to come to Andela. More of such will be amazing!
I see you sidestepped some points. No, I wonāt put you in a corner 
Niceā¦ 10% is great and a push in this direction in my view is fantastic. We clearly have to move away from a stereotype that everyone must pass through that traditional path of a degree straight out of school - I am rather biased in this regard. The reality is the current structure of our education isnāt great at preparing you for the real world. Peps spend years in formal regurgitation which sadly has little resemblance with real life scenarios.
Way too long @niyoma. I canāt stress that enough. As much as I have considered being a fellow, I will probably drop out at some point if I am accepted and continue on my own
What about building an Andelaā¦but for designers? If that had kick-started some 8 years ago i would have ditched Uniben and every other learning institution with a pronounceable abbreviation.
Four years is a LONG time to train to become a developer. Think about the associated opportunity cost. In general, people spend 4-6 years ālearningā (albeit dysfunctional) at Nigerian universities. Dedicating another 4 years towards ālearningā (yes even work-based learning) seems a big ask. It is not clear how the compensation is adjusted year on year.
We are not just training developers. We are building world class developers. It typically takes a lot longer than four years to become a world class developer that so I donāt even think its long enough but this is a talent accelerator so we are working very hard to make sure we can get you where you need to be much sooner than is normally possibleā¦
Now if you donāt want to be a world class developer working on global technology projects at an international standard, then the program is not for you. Lots of people will do fine just being another contract developer building for the low end of the local market and we donāt judge that choice. It is just not what we do at Andela. I would say it is much better for you to go to Aptech or some other NIIT type schoolā¦The trajectory of people who complete the program and people who drop out or are dropped at some point will never be the same. Those who complete the program will simply be more successful overall, money and impact wise. Hopefully we all live to see that happen in 2020 
PS: Average KPMG, McKinsey type consultant trains for an average of four years (for some up to 8 or 9 years) to be excellent at consulting and professional services. Our program is structured similarly in the sense that your pay progressively increases during the training program depending on your level of performance and experience. At certain levels our compensation is even at par with these world class consulting practices.
Now if you donāt want to be a world class developer working on global technology projects at an international standard, then the program is not for you. Lots of people will do fine just being another contract developer building for the low end of the local market and we donāt judge that choice.
You sure about that ? Because that entire quote was laced with thinly veined judgment and something else, the word for it not coming to my mind right now.
I know youāre proud of your program, but the implication that someone choosing to not take it-- because the time investment is unreasonable to themāwill not do too well in their career is justā¦ No (again the right word for this is escaping me, itās still early in the day for me).
I remember reading on a certain thread that you are training world class junior developers. Sounds like we are throwing around terms when convenient, and since junior doesnāt quote fit into the rest of your post, you chose to leave it out.
What/who really is a āworld class developerā? Sounds rather vague if you ask me. Andelaās proposition is dedicating 4 years towards learning. I guess something more tangible than a world class developer would do. Again, I am still not convinced you need 4 years to end up as a āworld classā developer (if I may use the phrase again).
Career progression? If joined KPMG/Deloitte/PwC/Accenture, there is a clear path towards becoming a partner (i.e. if I was happy with going it all the way) - it is a 2-way relationship at the end of the day. What happens after 4 years?
Perhaps so, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. In my experience while technical skills are always great, life/soft skills become the real differential as you progress up the ladder.
Agreed - which is why I said, weāll see how things pan out in 2020:
We do focus on soft skills and life skills once technical competence in established in the first few months and thats why the placements with international technology organizations who follow best practice and have senior technical folks our developers can learn from and be mentored by is part of the package. We are not just building world class software developers, we are building technology leaders. People who in four years can build the interswitch, Tellnets, etc of their day.
During the four years, there is a clear career progression to becoming a Senior Engineer. Also at the end of four years, they can decide to stay with Andela and make it all the way to Country Director (our equivalent of partner) if they choose but we know some of them would like to be entrepreneurs in their own right hence the need to define a set limit for the program where it becomes ok to leave and we can still be sure we havenāt destroyed our reputation by putting out a half baked product. I believe McKinseyās Associate program has a similar ethos.
The major conundrum is if you develop the kind of talent we do, you really want to make sure you can maximize their impact over their life and that takes time and lots of habit buildingā¦ We are very long term focused in this respectā¦
Fair enough. I donāt imagine our developers will still be junior after 4 years as many of them are already showing signs of seniority
I apologize for any offence taken but I like to be very clear about the difference between Andela and any regular computer training program. It is often lost on many people who think this is an NIIT alternative and its not.
I didnāt take any offence because I know what you implied is false anyway. But I will say itās all words till you actually produce said developers, sorry 
. Thereāve been devs with great skills here before Andela and thereāll continue to be. Thereās no need to put down others because they choose to take another route. I sense some Messianic aspirations for the local tech industry, which is a nice ambition to have, I guess. Carry on.
I like this guy! Canāt wait for what term weāll hear next. 
I like the mantra. You really should be a pastor 
Well this is a mission not just a business so you can think of me as an evangelist in that sense.
Agreed. The hope is that there will continue to be MORE (and maybe even greater) developers with great skills because of Andela
Again, apologize if anyone feels put down. Just showing how Andela differs from regularly trodden paths to a fulfilling career in software developmentā¦