Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading association for project professionals, has announced a strategic partnership with the country’s leading ICT Training and Exam Testing Institute, New Horizons. The partnership aims to boost youth employability by making them industry ready for the Project Economy. New Horizons will roll out PMI’s products to universities and corporates.
New Horizons Nigeria is a franchise of the US-based New Horizons International – the world’s number one ICT training institution. New Horizons International is reputed for its global impact, with offices in 85 countries, a daily student attendance of over four million, and the first choice of the top Fortune 500 companies for their training needs.
As part of the agreement, New Horizons, a Premier Level Authorised Training Partner for PMI, will roll out Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) to 19,000 university students. The youth will benefit in multiple ways, one, access a curriculum which is in line with industry requirements and secondly, be job-ready for several project management-oriented employment opportunities unlocked by the Project Economy.
Tim Akano, MD, New Horizons Nigeria.
PMI believes that the future of work is project-based, and teams will deliver on values and strategic objectives. Careers will increasingly revolve around a portfolio of projects rather than a bulleted list of static job responsibilities. More exploratory projects will require different methodologies and frameworks, requiring project managers to adopt the most appropriate methods, management styles, and thinking.
Globally, the value of project-oriented economic activity over the decade is likely to reach $20 trillion. PMI’s Talent Gap report predicts that the number of jobs requiring project management-oriented skills from economic growth and retirement rates will create the global need for 25 million new project professionals by 2030, meaning 2.3 million project managers will need to fill project management-oriented roles every year.
During this decade, Sub-Saharan Africa will witness a 40% growth with project management-oriented employment opportunities considered the largest globally.
George Asamani, Business Development Lead, Africa, PMI, says, “This partnership is very strategic as New Horizons will deliver courses relevant to many industries and sectors driving Nigeria’s growth. When businesses compete for these skills, Nigerians can expect better employability prospects and remuneration.”
“Our certifications are globally recognised, which means Nigerian youth will also be able to tap into the burgeoning remote work market.”
George Asamani, Business Development Lead, Africa, PMI,
New Horizons’ goal is to get as many Nigerians as possible trained on eight core PMI certifications such as Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP), Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP), Programme Management Professional (PgMP), Project Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP), Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) and Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA).
“The labour market in Nigeria is characterised by a significant mismatch between skills demanded by industry and those possessed by the youth. We see this across the continent and is not limited to Nigeria. We know what tomorrow needs; hence we decided to partner with PMI to bring training and education to the youth that is relevant in the contemporary labour market,” says Tim Akano, MD, New Horizons Nigeria.
“Nigeria is sitting on a demographic goldmine that could transform the country’s fortunes. However, without addressing the problems of skills mismatch and the lack of digital skills, the youth will continue to miss out on opportunities in the labour market”.
To ensure Nigerian youth can fully participate in the economy by seeking out in-demand skills, New Horizons offers 100% scholarships to disadvantaged students. It also helps solicit sponsorship from well-to-do individuals and allows students to pay in instalments.
