According to a report from the National Center for Women & Information Technology, women made up only 26% of the computing workforce in 2020. This represents a decline from previous years, indicating that the gender gap in technology is actually widening rather than closing. It is clear that the gender gap in technology remains a significant issue, and there is much work to be done to address it. Everything is being done to encourage diversity and inclusion in the tech sector, but the pace of change has been slow anti7yt what do you mean by the last word? At HerTechTrail, we are bridging that gap by equipping African women to get started in and build sustainable tech careers with relevant and in-demand tech and digital skills. We do this by providing an enabling community where women techies can thrive and by providing access to tuition free learning opportunities in a variety of skills including data analytics, product management, digital marketing, product design, and UI/UX design in the HerTechTrail Academy. As a testament to the progress we are making, meet Oluwabukola Anjorin, a product manager. “My learning experience at HerTechTrail was valuable. It was practical and comprehensive. Classes were interactive and tutors were accessible. I was very confident in the knowledge imparted to me and my abilities, so I started applying for PM roles almost immediately after I concluded the PM Pro course. Fortunately for me, I got an internship role with a start-up company a month after our graduation. When I started working on tasks given to us every week, I confirmed that I had gotten the best training from HerTechTrail. I was able to carry out the tasks because we had practicals in class and assignments as well. As a result, I needed little or no supervision and my mentors were very pleased with my work at every time” Oluwabukola Tweet The pattern of Oluwabukola’s story is consistent with the thousands of women and girls we have supported through their journey building sustainable tech careers across 5 cohorts in the academy with the 6th cohort being onboarded. Our work is aligned with Goal 5 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals which is to Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls and as such we’re excited that this year’s theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2023 (IWD2023), is “DigitALL: International Women’s Day has passed, Wonu. Tweak this paragraph. Innovation and technology for gender equality.” This theme is aligned with the priority theme for the upcoming 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW-67), “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.” We are therefore more driven and continue to intensify our efforts in providing support and inspiring African women to be outstanding and blaze trails in all aspects of Tech careers and business. In the 6th cohort of the HerTechTrail Academy now in session, we are set to train 5,000 African women who will have access to our community and the following perks: 100% Remote Learning Media Hackathon & Prizes Community Learning Opportunity to WIN a laptop 3-month intensive learning Access to remote job opportunities Certificate LinkedIn Profile Optimisation We acknowledge that having more women involved in the technology industry results in more creative solutions and increases the likelihood of advancements that promote gender equality and meet the needs of women. In fact, a lack of women inclusion, comes with massive costs: according to UN Women’s Gender Snapshot 2022 report, women’s exclusion from the digital world has shaved $1 trillion from the gross domestic product of low- and middle-income countries in the last decade—a loss that will grow to $1.5 trillion by 2025 without action. Collaborate with us to empower more women economically by providing tuition-free access to learning much needed technical skills. Get started here.
Category Archives: Digital Marketing
Dec
Fam! It’s Christmas in a few days, and the pressure to get gifts for your techie friends is probably getting worse. Sis, in all that you do, never forget that January is coming and it has 57 days! You can have a really good time this Christmas without worrying about money by giving amazing gifts you can afford. The thoughtfulness and the joy of receiving your gift will make the best memories. If you’re out of ideas for fantastic gifts that won’t have you breaking the bank, this is it! This is where you say thank you! If the concept of gifting is strange to you, or you have been wanting to imbibe the culture of giving gifts to your friends, why don’t you try it this Christmas? It is, after all the season for Love and Giving! Caveat!!!! Know that the best gift will depend on your friend’s interests, needs, and preferences, and seeing as you know them best, you’re in the best position to decide. Here’s my advice, it’s always a good idea to consider their style and current use before making a purchase. Now that we are on the same page, here are 7 Christmas gift ideas that won’t put a strain on your pocket and are perfect for techies:  1. Data Support:I saw recently on Twitter NG that the average Techie consumes between 20 to 50 Gigabytes on courses, research, building projects, and everything else techies do. This will easily be the most appreciated gift you can give to a techie plus it’s unisex too! Male or female, we all need data! 2. Laptop/Computer Bags: Stylish and functional laptop or computer bags help keep gadgets, chargers, and devices organized. Especially if your friend is often on the move. A good laptop bag can serve to have everything in one place and make their life that much easier. 3. Gift cards: These are super easy to find and come in different price ranges from technology retailers and online stores. Find out what stores are a fave for your friend and get them gift cards to those stores that fit your budget. The advantage with this one is that they get to shop and spend money they did not work for which is the absolute sweetest thing, isn’t it? 4. Subscriptions: A lot of tools and services popular among techies are now subscription-based. Sigh! There are a variety of needed subscriptions ranging from popular tech magazines, productivity tools, online services even till even Netflix or Spotify for the days you need to relax. This could also be a great way to keep up with the latest tech trends and news while being a fun and educational gift. 5. A portable charger or power bank:These are always useful for keeping devices charged on the go and can be a lifesaver when out and about and need to boost phones or other devices, especially in Nigeria, my country lol. 6. A new pair of headphones or earbuds: Whether they’re into music or podcasts, or just want to block out distractions, a good pair of headphones or earbuds can be a welcome gift. They’re also a great work tool too since they help keep our hands free to multitask while in meetings and on essential calls. 7. Tech-related Books and Courses:Technology is ever-changing, which means techies are always learning. You only need to ask, every techie has their eye on a book or course plus their fave or industry mentor might have published books they’d love to have. With this one, you really and truly need to ask so you don’t purchase a book they have or a course they have taken and passed. Overall, the key is to consider what your recipient is interested in and their needs, and then look for gift ideas that align with those interests and needs. You could ask if you are not sure, but in the end, the gift should be of use to them. As an extra Christmas gift to you (this whole article is my gift to you by the way), here’s one more… Customized merch: Nowadays, it seems like nearly everyone is a techie, which presents the need for personal branding and distinguishing oneself. You can gift your friend merchandise like tees, laptop bags, water bottles, or stickers (stickers are so fun!) that have been personalized uniquely for them. These will not break the bank, and your friend will adore them!
Dec
Dear Small Business Owner, Have you ever heard the saying, “Doing business without advertising (marketing) is like winking at a girl in the dark? You know what you are doing, but nobody else does?” This statement was first made by Steuart Henderson Britt sometime around the mid-1900s. Ages ago! Do you know what it means, though? Come on, let’s break it down. Take a minute to imagine winking in the dark, will you? Hilarious right? I mean, who will see you? Even if you were in a room full of people, it’s still dark, right? Think of the energy you expended on winking; think of what you aimed to achieve by winking—all in the mud! It’s pointless! and frustrating too, sigh! This is the same as running a business without marketing it. You know what you’re doing; you know the solutions you provide; you know the value you make available; you know the needs you meet; you know the better service you can provide; but like winking in the dark, you know what you’re doing but no one else does. I’m sorry to break it to you! While it’s funny to imagine in our mind’s eye, this quote has become a profound business truth. THREE REASONS WHY YOU MUST MARKET YOUR BUSINESS 1. Perception These days, whether you like it or not, the people, places, and things that society perceives or even acknowledges as “the best” are typically not the best. Simply put, they are the best-marketed ones. This reason alone should be enough for you to prioritise marketing your business. 2. Saturation You might want to do some research to see how many other businesses like yours exist. Just do a Google search and see. The fact is, the current global market is highly saturated and more technologically advanced. Easily, there are a hundred, if not several thousand, competitors shouting at your customers daily, trying to get their attention, keep it, and win their business. How exactly will your customers and potential customers hear your voice among the noise, even if your product or service is the best? 3. Upgrade In the present global competitive business environment, we must be distinguished from the noise as having the best solution, options, product, values, or service. Not only that, but we must also instantly single ourselves out, establish trust, build rapport, and show our customers why they should allow our business to be heard. While this is often a challenge, in the end, it is always well worth the effort. You provide solutions, make money, and build relationships when done right. Three birds, one stone—you’re welcome. In conclusion, often, we or someone we know have an effective solution, a great product, or excellent service, yet we rely on family, friends, a website, or “word of mouth” to get it known to the world. You need to get out there with your solution, product, or service and be seen, or you are just wasting time, money, resources, and energy. Learn how to take your marketing game from 0 to 10 in our next digital marketing blog post. See ya!