Local tech start-ups are tackling day-to-day conveniences in Dakar.
在达喀尔,当地的技术新兴公司正在为居民日常生活创造便利。
Firefly, a digital advertising company places TV screens in public buses,
“Firefly”是一家数字广告公司,负责给公共汽车安装显示屏,
but has struggled to find qualified web and mobile app developers in Senegal.
但一直努力在塞内加尔寻找有资历的网络和手机应用开发人员。
They are trained in technologies we do not work with,
他们学的技术都是我们平时用不到的,
for example, all engineering schools in Dakar work in Java.
比如说,达喀尔所有的工程学校都是利用“Java”来进行各种操作。
We work mostly with PHP and Python, with new front-end technologies like Bootstrap,
但我们用的主要是“PHP”和“Python”,还有一些高端技术比如说“Bootstrap”,
these are not things they learn in school.
这些东西是他们在学校学不到的。
Until recently, that is.
直到最近一直如此。
This is Volkeno, students learn web development, digital marketing or graphic design.
这家公司名为“Volkeno”,学生们在这里学习网页开发、数字营销和平面设计等课程。
At the end of the one-month training program, they will spend two months interning with a local company.
培训计划耗时一个月,结束之后他们会在当地一家公司进行为期两个月的实习。
The classes are free, Volkeno is supported by companies like Firefly in exchange for interns.
培训课程不收取任何费用,“Firefly”等公司为“Volkeno”提供了支持,以此获取实习生。
At least 15 of those interns have landed full-time contracts.
目前至少已经有15名实习生签署了全职合同。
CEO Abdoul Khadre Diallo initially set up Volkeno to provide tech services to local entrepreneurs.
第阿罗是“Volkeno”的首席执行官,他最初创办这家公司的目的是想为当地企业家提供技术服务。
The training program was launched later when he realized none of his interns were sufficiently qualified.
但后来发现自己培训出来的实习生已经不足以满足市场需求,这一培训计划便应运而生。
Here, young people are not encouraged to be interested in these skills, most schools remain too classical.
在这里,我们不会鼓励年轻人一定要对这些技能感兴趣。大多数学校还是太传统了。
The training is too classical, you see schools where in five years,
培训也很传统,现在的学校都是五年制,
there is no decent practical training, in my opinion.
期间没有过任何实际操作培训。
There are efforts to change that, at this coding workshop in the northern city of St.Louis,
为了改变这种情况,相关人员也付出了大量努力,在圣路易斯的这座北部城市中有一间编码工作室,
high school students are introduced to coding and web development.
为高中生们介绍编码和网页开发等方面的知识。
The Next Einstein Forum's Africa Science Week is held in 13 African countries
下一届“爱因斯坦论坛”非洲科学周在13个非洲国家举办,
to promote interest in STEM fields, science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
目的是提高人们对于科学、技术、工程和数学领域的兴趣。
For me, the problem lies in the content of university courses.
我觉得最大的问题在大学课程上。
Because you can start by teaching HTML, but then you evolve and teach HTML5,
虽然你可以从HTML开始教起,然后循序渐进,后来教HTML5,
for me, we must simply update everything.
但我觉得,我们必须得全部更新。
Volkeno has registered over 40 functioning start-ups in Dakar,
“Volkeno”在达喀尔注册了40余家正在运作的初创公司,
all of which operate through websites and mobile applications.
而这些公司都是通过网站和手机应用程序来进行运营的。
If you are trained in technology, you can find work after you graduate.
如果你接受了技术培训,毕业之后就能够找到工作。
Because it is very difficult to find internships and everything here, and your relations play a big role.
因为这里的实习机会真的是太少了,这时候你的关系就发挥了很大的作用。
But for example, if you learn programming you can set up your own project, create an application.
如果你学习了编程,就能自己建立项目,开发新的应用程序。
If you know digital marketing, you can do all the promotion yourself, so it is important to get training.
如果你懂得数字营销,就可以自己做推广,所以接受培训真的是很重要。
The founder of Senegal's next big start-up may be sitting right here in this room.
塞内加尔下一家大型创业公司的创始人可能现在就坐在这个屋子里。
Sofia Christensen, for VOA news, Dakar.
美国之音,索菲亚·克里斯滕森于达喀尔为您播报。