019 | "Africa's Largest Tech & Vocational Skills Competition" (Bright at iCreate Africa)

Sep 27

Today’s guest on the “Phil with Forbes 30” podcast is Bright Jaja – Founder of iCreate Africa

Forbes List: Africa
Year: 2019

Category: Business

My guest, Bright Jaja has one of the most unique projects to help empower young Africans. Around the world people tend not to appreciate or value those that have vocational or basic technical skills. Bright is changing that perception by rebranding and showcasing the talents of trade workers and their importance in today’s economy.

Bright is the Founder of iCreate Africa, which is a training facility for people to learn new vocational and trade skills. The facility helps those who do not seek or cannot afford higher education, to be trained in areas such as coding, plumbing, tailoring, barbering, carpentry and more.

The company has also created a unique event called iCreate Skill Fest. It's one of Africa’s largest technical and vocational skills competitions. After training at the facility, skilled students are showcased in the competitions where potential employers are invited. The result helps students obtain jobs or internships.

More importantly, the competition helps to change the perception of people who have opted to attend trade schools. The two-day iCreate Skill Fest competition has featured over 84 competitors from West Africa competing in 14 skill categories.

So far iCreate Africa has helped over 80,000 people who could not afford a traditional education.
The company is active on Social Media and has launched a new service to connect graduates with potential employers at www.skillers.ng

Bright is inspirational in how he has overcome the odds to launch his program. His goal is to create five-million jobs and to expand curriculum to include skills of the future such as augmented reality or blockchain technology.
I hope you enjoy this episode and admire Bright’s exceptional ambitions as much as I do.

“Under 30 Seconds Round”

1. What is the book you’ve gifted more often than any other book, and why?

Psycho-cybernetics, Maxwell Maltz, MD, FICS because it makes people see the possibilities of their mind.

2. What’s one of the best investments and one of the worst investments you’ve ever made and why?

Best - Learning how to use my life-skills.

3. What’s the most impactful thing you do in your Morning routine and most impactful thing you do in your Evening routine?

AM - Watching our interviews, the videos and documentaries that we create.
PM - I quietly review my day and think about my progress.

4. Pretend you won the Peter Thiel Fellowship and you were going to get money to start a business instead of go to college, what’s the very first thing you’d do to start a new business?

Investing and developing a creative brand image.

5. The next goal?

Focus on empowering young Africans to take the global stage.

In the REVIEW SECTION, please let me know…

The city / country you’re tuning in from!
How Bright Jaja’s story has inspired you! And, your favorite part of this episode!
Tell me the questions you’d like me to ask future Forbes 30 Under 30 Members!

GUEST INFO: Bright Jaja – Founder of iCreate Africa