The Pan-African marketplace for freelance professional talent, Gebeya Inc., has announced a new partnership with the Blacks In Technology (BIT) Foundation, a global community providing training, networking, and mentorship services to benefit Africans in the field of technology.
This partnership is set to address both the demand and supply-side of skilled tech talent by becoming a connective medium for a global professional network and freelance marketplace. Software engineering talent from the BIT network will have the opportunity to pass through Gebeya’s vetting processes and instantly access a broad range of benefits such as internationally-accredited upskilling programs and job opportunities. Similarly, Gebeya will double its pool of talent for its marketplace as well as expand its client base to match them with hiring companies on various continents.
The exponential growth of the tech industry and such co-operations that are aligned in purpose initiate the realization of a broader picture for Black professionals globally. The disproportionate employment of Black Americans in the United States (more than 6%), and the surging unemployment in African countries that are considered to have the highest ecosystems, including experienced and senior-level tech talent deficit across Africa are significant grounds to tap into talents of people of African descent. This partnership will have a significant role in sustainably addressing the tech industry and employment challenges of the continent by leveraging African talent and building a widespread network that connects them to companies aiming to close the gap on racial disparity. Furthermore, the establishment of this essential cooperation will be beneficial in terms of connecting people inextricably linked in culture, language, and creativity to work together and support one another.
“We recognize that a coalition between our organizations will have faster, more powerful, and more impactful traction if we come together, especially now,” says Amadou Daffe, CEO & Co-founder, Gebeya. “The need to create strong ties between organizations with similar objectives is crucial in empowering African talents and bridging the gap in supply and demand-side in Africa and the Americas,” he added.
Gebeya will grow its capacity and connect its freelancers in the diaspora community to African-Americans, Caribbeans, and newly-migrated Africans. The BIT global community, composed of more than 17,000 members of African descent on 5 different continents, will join Gebeya’s Pan-African network of tech professionals that is expected to grow to 1 million by the end of this year.
“We’re thrilled to announce this strategic partnership which will reinforce and expand the resources we offer to our members,” says Dennis Schultz, Executive Director, Blacks In Technology Foundation. Dennis added “We currently offer job boards, career fairs, professional networking opportunities, and mentorship to advance career readiness. We also host events, conferences, and provide technical training resources. Now, we will build a bridge with a talent partner based in Africa and we couldn’t be more excited.”
This partnership opens opportunities to potential partners for upskilling, mentoring, advisement, and other resources to get in on the ground level and work towards a shared vision of advancing Black professionals in tech and access top talent from around the world.
