As technology becomes essential to daily life, the demand for skilled professionals is increasing.
In this interview with The News Chronicle correspondent Esther Salami, Oluwatosin Sanya, Head of Administration at the academy, shares how their unique teaching methods and commitment to real-world skills have helped students excel. From intensive training sessions to adopting cutting-edge tools like AI, Techstudio Academy is preparing its students to thrive in a competitive and ever-evolving industry.
TNC: What inspired the founding of Techstudio Academy, and how has the academy evolved since its inception?
Techstudio Academy: The founding of Techstudio Academy was inspired by the need to provide affordable tech education to students in an emerging tech world. Since its inception, we have evolved by adding new courses to our repertoire to reflect the demands of our customers and the labour demand. Also, we constantly find new ways to give added value to our students and better equip them for their careers.
TNC: What unconventional teaching method or experimental project have you implemented in teaching tech courses, and how have they impacted the students?
Techstudio Academy: Oh well, that’s our secret recipe we prepare to bring out the best in our students. What I can say is that our classes are really intensive. We ensure our students have close to 18 hours of classes every week.
TNC: Do you believe anyone can learn tech, or are there particular ‘brains’ for it?
Techstudio Academy: With the way our teaching methods are crafted and as evidenced by the variety of students we have had so far, anyone can learn tech depending on their interests and goals.
TNC: With so many online resources available on platforms like YouTube, Udemy, and Coursera, how does your physical class differentiate itself? Do you think physical classes are more effective than online learning for tech education?
Techstudio Academy: We consider our physical classes our unique selling point as our students choose us despite having those other resources available. The hands-on and project-based teaching we have creates something they need as most online classes are mostly theoretical. However, we also offer online options for those hindered by distance with the added advantage of live classes on the weekends.
TNC: Is six months enough to become proficient in tech?
Techstudio Academy: We understand that not everyone has the same career pathway or proficiency method but our methods have consistently shown that our duration offers the necessary knowledge needed to jumpstart their careers.
TNC: What advice would you give to people without experience or prior knowledge in tech who want to start their tech journey?
Techstudio Academy: We would advise first doing the necessary research, considering all the information they have and their interests before settling on a course. They also need to make up their mind to put in their best efforts and continually improve their skills while learning.
TNC: What advice would you give young people trying to succeed in Nigeria’s current economic climate?
Techstudio Academy: They will succeed as long as they do not give up but keep finding ways to build on their existing skills to improve their chances in this economic climate.
TNC: What does success look like for you beyond the job market?
Techstudio Academy: Success for us looks like finding our alumni doing wonderful things and being involved with most solution-based products in the tech ecosystem.
TNC: Finally, how do you see AI and technology evolving in Nigeria, and how do you think people can better position themselves for these trends?
Techstudio Academy: AI is such a huge enabler and has impacted how products are built. Almost every product is integrating AI and we are yet to see the best of it.. By being conversant with AI tools out there, tech enthusiasts create and ideate faster.
