Business Development Representative

FG targets 10m global talent, 1m export jobs by 2030. The Federal Government has set a target of producing 10 million globally certified Nigerians and creating one million export-linked jobs by 2030, as it moves to position Nigerian talent for opportunities in the global outsourcing and digitally enabled services market. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa made the disclosure at the Hire From Nigeria side event on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. Alausa said the Federal Ministry of Education was leading the supply side of the National Talent Export Programme by building a pipeline of trained, certified and adaptable Nigerians whose skills match global employment demand. He said: "Nigeria's greatest asset is its people: a young, ambitious, English-speaking and increasingly digitally capable population. Our task in Education is to turn that scale into verified competence and reliable service deliver." The minister noted that Nigeria's youthful population, English-language advantage and growing digital capabilities provided a strong base for competing in the global services economy, which could create jobs, increase export earnings and allow Nigerians to build international careers without leaving the country. He however identified the mismatch between training and employer demand, limited work-based learning and inadequate access to internationally recognised certification as major gaps in the talent pipeline. Discover more Nigerian political commentary Entertainment news digest Business news analysis To address these, the minister said the government was pursuing curriculum reform, stronger accreditation and quality assurance, alongside expanded digital and technical training. "We need a permanent employer-led feedback loop, not occasional curriculum reviews," he said, urging employers to participate in programme design, training, assessment, certification and recruitment. Alausa disclosed that the Federal Government's free TVET programme had received more than one million applications, with 160,000 trainees supported through about 1,200 centres nationwide. He said the government was also expanding digital skills training, noting that the Digital Training Academy was partnering with learning providers, including Coursera and Pluralsight, to give 32,000 Nigerians free access to professional digital and technology courses. The training covers areas including cloud computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, software development, fintech, quantum computing and natural language processing. On artificial intelligence, Alausa said Nigeria must train young people to work with emerging technologies rather than compete with them on routine tasks. Discover more News article archive "We must train young people to work with artificial intelligence, not to compete with it on routine tasks." He identified judgement, creativity, domain knowledge, data literacy, cybersecurity, cloud services, software development, quality assurance and AI-enabled operations among the skills increasingly required in the changing labour market. The minister also urged international employers, Business Process Outsourcing operators, investors and development partners to move beyond expressions of interest and establish practical partnerships capable of producing employable talent. He asked employers to define their skills requirements, co-design training programmes, provide work-based learning, recognise credible Nigerian certifications and recruit from Nigerian talent pools. BPO operators and investors, he added, should expand delivery centres beyond Nigeria's major commercial cities while supporting training infrastructure, connectivity and quality systems. Alausa said the ministry would deepen industry participation in curriculum development and certification, expand market-relevant TVET and digital-skills pathways and strengthen the link between education institutions, training providers and employers. He said the initiative was part of the ministry's role in the National Talent Export Programme and aligned with President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda on human capital development, job creation, skills acquisition and inclusive economic growth. Please follow and like New Telegraph:

Pluralsight One awards $2.9 million in nonprofit grants to expand access to technology skills and careers. Sep 8, 2026 Westlake, Texas - September 8, 2026 - Pluralsight, the leading technology skills development company, today announced that Pluralsight One will award $2.9 million in cash grants to 11 nonprofit organizations, expanding access to technology skills, education, and career opportunities. Combined with more than 40,000 donated Pluralsight licenses, the grants reflect Pluralsight One's commitment to helping people build the skills needed to participate in a technology workforce being reshaped by AI and other rapidly changing technologies. "Technology creates opportunity when people have the skills and confidence to put it to work," said Erin Gajdalo, CEO of Pluralsight. "Pluralsight One exists to expand that opportunity by supporting organizations creating meaningful pathways into technology careers, and we are excited about how each grantee is helping reshape the future of the technology workforce." These grants support organizations building practical technology skills, expanding access to career pathways, and giving more people the opportunity to participate in a technology-driven workforce. The 2026 recipients were selected for their measurable impact, innovative approaches to workforce development, and alignment with Pluralsight One's mission to expand access to technology skills. The grants will be issued from the Pluralsight One Fund, a corporate advised fund managed by Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Leaders from NPower, Girls Who Code, and LaunchCode point to the impact Pluralsight One's support is having on the ground. "Our partnership with Pluralsight represents more than access to world-class technology training, and has allowed NPower to offer flexible learning modalities at scale," said Robert Vaughn, Chief Innovation Officer at Npower. "By combining Pluralsight's industry-leading learning platform with NPower's proven workforce development model, we can prepare thousands of learners each year with the skills employers need today while building the adaptability they'll need for tomorrow." "Girls Who Code and Pluralsight share a commitment to inspiring and empowering the tech workforce," said Laura Meli, Chief Development Officer at Girls Who Code. "We are excited to extend our partnership, which helps our community develop the technical skills, confidence, and knowledge to explore emerging technologies and pursue tech careers." "LaunchCode is deeply grateful for our partnership with Pluralsight as we help people across the country align their skills with the shifting needs of today's workforce - at no cost to them," said Mara Morrison, CEO of LaunchCode Labs. "Pluralsight's learning platform has been instrumental in allowing our team to deliver industry-aligned, asynchronous software development courses, and Pluralsight's generosity has helped fund the development of our new AI courses - all with the goal of connecting graduates with in-demand roles that provide financial stability." 2026 Pluralsight One Grant Recipients The following organizations are recipients of Pluralsight One's 2026 technology education grants: Auticon Training Institute (ATI) Provides no-cost technical education and career support tailored for autistic individuals entering the tech workforce. LaunchCode Provides free, high-quality tech training and job placement services for adults new to the field. LGBT tech Connects LGBTQ+ individuals with STEAM career tools, mentorship, and digital literacy resources. i.c.stars Runs intensive, project-based training programs that integrate tech skills, leadership development, and career preparation for adults. Npower Delivers proven workforce development programs in tech, with a focus on young adults and military-connected individuals from low-income communities. CodePath Partners with colleges and employers to deliver industry-aligned curriculum, creating the first generation of AI-native software engineers and tech leaders. Girls Who Code Expands female representation in tech by building coding skills and career confidence through immersive programs like Work Prep. Tech-Moms Supports individuals reentering or transitioning into technology careers with technical education and career navigation tools. Empowr Offers tech training and internship preparation for high school students in Atlanta, helping them build in-demand digital skills. JA Utah Introduces thousands of Utah students to technology careers through financial literacy and work-readiness experiences. Year Up United A national leader in workforce training, Year Up United equips thousands of students annually with the skills and support to succeed in technology careers. Pluralsight One's Commitment to Digital Opportunity Pluralsight One's mission is to expand access to technology skills and create opportunities for people traditionally underrepresented in the technology workforce. Through nonprofit partnerships, grant funding, and access to Pluralsight learning, the program helps organizations build sustainable pathways into technology careers. The Pluralsight One Fund is a corporate advised fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity registered in the United States, EIN# 20-5205488. About Pluralsight Pluralsight helps organizations build the technology workforce capabilities they need to execute their most critical priorities. Thousands of companies and government organizations around the world rely on Pluralsight to assess workforce readiness, close critical skill gaps, and build the capabilities needed to deliver business outcomes in areas crucial to innovation, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, software development, and machine learning. Through expert-led learning, industry-leading skill assessments, hands-on practice, and workforce insights, Pluralsight helps technology teams keep pace with changing technology and business needs. For more information, visit http://pluralsight.com. Media contact. [email protected] Ryan Sins Senior Communications Manager Related Pages

Pluralsight has launched AI Ready, a managed upskilling programme designed to help engineering teams develop advanced AI coding skills. The programme addresses the gap between AI tool adoption and effective implementation, responding to research showing 95% of AI pilots fail due to skill deficits and strategic misalignments. AI Ready combines live instruction, hands-on practice, and verified assessment to help organisations move beyond basic code autocomplete. The programme guides teams through three stages: AI-assisted coding, AI agent development, and orchestrating multi-agent systems. The offering expands Pluralsight's enterprise AI portfolio alongside its existing AI Academy. Whilst AI Academy focuses on foundational AI fluency for all teams, AI Ready targets engineering organisations that have deployed AI tools but need to scale and verify advanced capabilities.