Google has partnered with the Agency for Digital Development (ADD) in Morocco and RootHub in Nigeria to provide scholarships for courses towards Google Career Certification.

Three new Google Career Certificate courses are available online via Coursera.

The courses are designed to ensure learners are equipped for careers including IT Support, Project Management, UX Design and Data Analytics.

Google stated: “These low-cost programs help people who want to learn online at their own pace, or who may want to change careers and don't have the time or means to access traditional education. They can be completed in under six months, do not require relevant experience or a degree, and are recognised by industry experts and employers.”

In Morocco, ADD is recognised as the project accelerator for public administrations and the driving force behind digital promotion and awareness.

The partnership with Google is aligned with ADD’s agenda for Morocco’s national digital training programme in support of a digital training ecosystem.

Google’s Nigeria partner RootHub is based in the city of Uyo. Roothub provides training services as well as access to a co-working space and idea lab.

“We are on a mission to close the digital skills gap through trainings and capacity development,” said Roothub.

Matt Brittin, President of Google EMEA said: “At the start of the lockdowns, we saw a tripling of demand for online learning, and the interest has been mostly sustained throughout the year, as people need to find new jobs or learn new skills that employers are looking for today - and in the years ahead.”

Google revealed that with the input of ADD, Roothub and other local collaborators, it will provide 100,000 scholarships in the EMEA region.

“Addressing the challenges of the future of work requires collaboration between governments, companies and community organisations,” Google added.