Digital technologies are transforming the workplace. This has put digital skills at the core of both employability and technical skills required from graduates by employers. According to a 2017 World Economic Forum Report on The Future of Jobs and Skills in Africa, employers across the African region already identify inadequately skilled workforces as a major constraint to their businesses, including 41% of all firms in Tanzania, 30% in Kenya, 9% in South Africa and 6% in Nigeria.
The Digital Skills for Employability Assessment Tool created by Bridgia has emerged as a transformative resource for higher education institutions across Africa, aiming to bridge the gap between academic preparation and the demands of the global job market. In 2023, The Education Collaborative, through its proof-of-concept grants initiative, supported Bridgia to roll out the Digital Skills for Employability Assessment Tool. Since then, the tool has not only enriched educational programs but has also empowered students and recent graduates to enhance their digital literacy and employability skills.
Being unemployable is worse than being unemployed
In a conversation with Segun Ogunwale, CEO of Bridgia, he highlighted the following: We have always known that many locally trained graduates lack the digital skills to thrive in the workplace due to inequalities in socioeconomic backgrounds that result in late access to personal computers, and an institutional failure by higher institutions to provide training and integrate digital skills into the classroom. One of the sessions at The Education Collaborative’s 2022 June convening, where a dialogue of industry and higher education leaders provided deeper insight into the challenge. It offered a new perspective to Bridgia’s work in developing resources and platforms to support student transitions from higher education into the world of work.
It is often said that what cannot be measured cannot be improved. This applies both to higher institutions and students. While higher institutions have traditionally thrived in assessing students’ knowledge, assessing skillsets is a different terrain. The need to support higher institutions and students with a tool with which they can measure their digital skills to become aware of their skill gaps led to the development of the Digital Skills for Employability Assessment Tool. As the world shifts further into skill-based hiring over certificates, closing the digital skill gaps revealed by the tool will no doubt make African graduates more competitive to find their feet and thrive in today’s digital workplace.
Student-Centered Design
Unlike conventional assessments focused on data gathering that ask learners to rate their proficiency in specific digital skills, this tool presents work scenarios where digital skills are required. It is accessible as a chatbot for chat-based interaction to make the assessment interactive and engaging for students. Tasks from the work scenarios, mapped to each digital skill area in the framework are presented to students in a conversational format. Students reflect on the tasks and respond with their ability to perform them. This approach makes students aware of a wide range of digital skills and the contexts in which they are used in the workplace. A comprehensive report of each student, covering 5 major areas and 34 competencies in digital skills for employability, is sent to the student and designated staff or faculty of the institution.
To date, 2,626 students and recent graduates have used the tool across 15 higher education institutions in five African countries. The tool has also been adopted for a government-backed digital skilling program in Nigeria. Altogether, the tool has delivered more than 50,000 minutes of assessment to support students’ digital skilling. Feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive; a survey of 200 users revealed that 79.1% found the tool helpful in identifying their digital skills needs.
Students have shared insightful testimonials:
“The Digital Skills Assessment helped me realize that there are still a lot more skills I have to acquire and hone to be an effective digital literate,” says Mofeyifoluwa Bankole, a Mass Communications Student.
“I gained insights on my existing level of digital skills and areas for improvement.” Reports Michael Ilozobhie, an Economics Student.
However, some feedback highlighted areas for improvement. Students noted that the assessment could be lengthy and tiring. In response, a feature was introduced, allowing students to pause and resume their assessments. A scaled-down version of the assessment has also been developed for students at lower levels, addressing these concerns effectively.
Empowering Institutions Beyond Borders
Since its implementation, the assessment tool has facilitated significant advancements in various institutions within The Education Collaborative’s network of higher education institutions. For instance, Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos has integrated the digital skills assessment into its Industry Readiness Program, a crucial initiative designed to prepare students for internships. This integration allows students to identify their skill gaps and access tailored resources to address them.
Academic City University in Ghana has rolled out the tool through a career workshop for its third- and fourth-year students. It has also been integrated into the Work Readiness Program for students embarking on internships at Botho University in Botswana, with a scaled-down version of the tool rolled out to second-year students as part of a Career Foundations Program for the university’s Career Growth Passport Initiative. A faculty member at Gulu University in Uganda administered the assessment to more than 300 students and mentioned it “is very interesting to see their responses and has helped me to adjust my class as well”.
Moreover, Bamidele Olumilua University in Nigeria has adapted the framework to enhance its capacity-building resources for faculty, demonstrating a commitment to fostering a digitally literate academic environment. Other higher institutions that have signed up for the tool intend to roll it out later in the year. The reach and impact of the tool continue to expand, promising broader benefits across the continent.
The Future
Looking ahead, the Digital Skills for Employability Assessment Tool is poised for further development. Awareness, they say, is the first step to action. While the tool helps with awareness in discovering the skill gaps and provides a guide to learning resources to close these gaps, more can be done to support action. The goal is to evolve it into a robust platform that identifies skill gaps and utilizes data from the assessment to offer targeted training programs and a library of projects. This platform will enable students to engage in practical projects that enhance vital employability skills such as critical thinking, communication, and leadership.
By facilitating mentorship opportunities where experienced professionals can provide feedback on student submissions, the platform aims to help students build robust online portfolios showcasing their work. Ultimately, this initiative aspires to support 100,000 African students annually, equipping them with the necessary tools to thrive in an increasingly competitive global job market.
