Zoho announces strategic upskilling initiatives at Zoholics South Africa

Zoho, a global technology company, announced its continued commitment to upskilling the youth through strategic partnerships with BabesGotBytes and CodeTelligence. The company, which grew by 17% in 2023 in South Africa, made the announcements on the sidelines of Zoholics South Africa, its annual user conference.

‘As we expand our presence in the region, we are committed to ensuring that our growth contributes positively to the local economy, community and business ecosystem,’ said Premanand Velumani, Associate Director, Strategic Growth, Zoho MEA. ‘This commitment underpins our growth strategy called transnational localism, wherein we strive to remain locally rooted while being globally connected. To achieve this, we are hiring locally, expanding our partner network and developing localised products. More importantly, we are investing in digital skills development initiatives for the youth to prepare them for future employment opportunities.’

Partnership with BabesGotBytes for empowering women and girls

Zoho and BabesGotBytes are joining forces to empower over 40 girls and women with digital skills through a comprehensive one-year boot camp. This initiative is designed to bridge the skills gap and increase female representation in the tech sector by providing rigorous training for workplace readiness. The program includes modules on digital literacy, website and mobile app development, UI/UX design, SQL and more. Participants will benefit from hands-on projects, mentorship from industry professionals and access to a network of resources to enhance their readiness for both traditional employment and freelance opportunities.

‘BabesGotBytes is excited to partner with Zoho to advance women’s empowerment through technology education,’ said Phindiwe Nqanqaru, Co-founder and Director Of Operations. ‘Our one-year boot camp is more than just a technical training program; it’s a comprehensive approach to nurturing creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. By equipping women with both the technical expertise and the confidence to excel, we aim to address the skills gap and the gender gap in the tech industry, paving the way for a more inclusive and innovative future.’

Partnership with CodeTelligence for bridging skills gap

Zoho has partnered with CodeTelligence to empower youth, who are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, with IT skills to help increase their employability. As part of this initiative, Zoho will support a 6-month boot camp for 36 young individuals. The boot camp will provide training in end-user computing, UI/UX designing, office administration, data science and more. Following the boot camp, the students will receive an additional six months of offline coaching to prepare them for entering the workforce as skilled employees.

‘We are excited to collaborate with Zoho to provide transformative educational opportunities for the South African youth,’ said Keoikantse Tsholo Botlholo, Founder & CEO, CodeTelligence. ‘Through this partnership, we aim to equip students with the skills necessary to excel in the digital age and contribute meaningfully to the tech industry.’

Earlier this year, as part of the Young Creators Program, Zoho conducted “train the trainer” sessions for the teachers at CodeTelligence to train them to use Zoho Creator, the company’s low-code app development platform. The teachers will, in turn, train students at CodeTelligence, to build powerful applications using low-code technology to solve real-life business problems.

‘We find synergy with the mission of both BabesGotBytes and CodeTelligence in serving the underserved and providing educational opportunities to the talented youth of South Africa,’ said Andrew Bourne, Regional Head, Zoho Africa. ‘Through upskilling initiatives such as these, technology can become a true driver of equality and opportunity. It can open doors for those who previously lacked access, effectively levelling the playing field.’

Zoho’s Growth in South Africa

Zoho continues to see remarkable growth in the South African market since starting operations in 2019. Since 2021, Zoho has grown at 29% CAGR in the last 3 years. In 2023, Zoho achieved a 39% increase in partner network. Additionally, Zoho expanded its local workforce by 86% in South Africa last year across its offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Zoho’s success in South Africa stems from the widespread use of its flagship products, such as Zoho One, Zoho CRM, Zoho Desk, Zoho Books and Zoho CRM Plus. These products have been instrumental in helping businesses streamline their operations, enhance customer experiences and achieve greater efficiency. The industries driving Zoho’s success in the region are: IT hardware and IT related services, financial services, professional services (non-IT), retail, and real estate and construction.

Other upskilling initiatives in the Africa region

Earlier this year, Zoho announced several other upskilling partnerships across the Africa region. In Kenya, the company partnered with MOMO Pencils, a leading manufacturer of eco-friendly stationery in Nairobi, for the “Hope for Literacy” program that works towards eradicating intergenerational poverty. The program aims to provide access to quality education for children from underserved communities and spread awareness at schools about the importance of environmental sustainability and eco-conscious community development.

Zoho also partnered with J-Hub Africa, the digital innovation hub at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. The company will offer training for JKUAT technology students on how to leverage its cloud-based business applications. This upskilling initiative aims to equip students with essential technology skills, preparing them for the workforce across various industries.

Recently, in Nigeria, Zoho collaborated with She Code Africa, a leading non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering and upskilling African women in tech. With this partnership, Zoho will conduct Train the Trainer sessions for SCA Academy trainers, who in turn, will train more students associated with SCA on how to build powerful applications using low-code.