On Friday 17th May 2024, the @iLabAfrica graduated its first cohort of the Software Development program. The day was filled with joy, laughter, and an overall sense of triumph as they gathered for their graduation. The cafeteria was specially decorated with vibrant school cues, complimenting the students dressed to the nines for their special day.
The event commenced with opening remarks by Mr. Ivan Bunyali, Program Coordinator at the Executive Education Department, who set the tone of celebration reminiscing on how each student had their expectations and goals when they signed up for the program. He congratulated them on their tenacity when enduring the long nights to meet assignments alongside their project deadlines and their ability to come together as a class regardless of their individual goals. He urged them to go further in their STEM careers.
Following Mr. Bunyali’s encouraging words, Hellen Nzisa, the class representative took to the stage to congratulate and thank her peers for their accomplishments. She shared in their humor as she recounted the long sleepless nights spent debugging their code, programming mishaps they encountered, and the tedious revision they had to do to ensure their final projects were presented. She also thanked the class for coming together as a unit to ensure they made it to the end of the program.
Simon Maina, a graduate student whose project was a highlight of the class, developed the ‘Sima’ medical app. This mobile application uses push notifications and a secure backend to allow users to book appointments, purchase medications, and access the internet to research symptoms of infections and diseases, drugs, and grant access to the internet to search for symptoms of infections and diseases. He thanked the instructors, industry experts, and classmates for their constant guidance, providing invaluable insights, and fostering teamwork. He also commended @iLabAfrica for creating a course that not only met but exceeded his expectations with the curriculum’s depth and breadth, enabling him to acquire skills in software design, development, and deployment of a fully functional app with the potential to be monetized.
Simon Maina, creator of the Sima medical app
Mr. Emmanuel Kweyu, Deputy Director and E-Health’s Lead Researcher at @iLabAfrica, echoed Mr. Bunyali’s sentiments in his closing remarks by encouraging the students to keep pursuing a career in software development beyond this certification program.
“Do not abandon your final projects but improve on them as you acquire a larger skillset because they are brilliant projects that can solve problems faced in Kenya and the world,” he encouraged.
In addition to highlighting the numerous opportunities at @iLabAfrica for young professionals, he spoke about the opportunities to make an impact while solving problems in Kenya and Africa at large, as he encouraged the students to continue and specialize in the field of Tech. He took great importance in the value of being open-minded towards picking up skills and diversifying their portfolio.
‘The best programmer is the self-taught one.’ He emphasized the importance of continuous learning and growth, especially because of the ever-shifting nature of software development.
This graduation served as a constant reminder of the value of creating a curriculum that equips students with the necessary skill set to advance in the current job market and the unparalleled potential students can reach when given the opportunity and resources to thrive.
The Software Development course is a four-month intensive certification program that provides comprehensive training in both front-end and back-end development, equipping individuals with the skills necessary to build and maintain complete web applications. The program ensures that by the end of it, students can design and develop fully fledged websites and mobile applications in multiple programming languages such as Javascript, UX/UI, Python, HTML, and many others.
As the graduates embark on new adventures, they do so armed with the confidence and determination to face the challenges life has in store for them and to leave their mark on the world. Judging by the eager faces in the crowd during the ceremony, and the final projects submitted, the future of software developers is young and empowered.
To enroll for the upcoming intake, visit https://ilabafrica.strathmore.edu/software-development-certificate/
By @iLabAfrica Research and Innovation Centre, Strathmore University.
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