The Programme, Techeconomy gathered, is an early-career development programme for engineering talents to develop competencies in end-to-end electronic funds transfer technology and operations.

Through this new programme, which will incorporate six months of intensive and hands-on training and global exposure to latest dynamics and best practices in Switching and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) technologies, Interswitch hopes to onboard up to 40 EFT engineering talents.

The programme is targeted at young graduates and engineering talents with 0-5 years of work experience, incorporating fundamental skills in technical support/implementation within banking & fintech environments, and some programming proficiency.

According to the company’s official announcement unveiling the programme, the initiative follows career development opportunities which were announced in the course of the highly topical 3rd edition of its annual career fair a few weeks back, which was themed “Reimagining Work: People, Culture, Technology”, essentially highlighting the need for young upwardly mobile talent to view the future of work from a different lens by leveraging innovative technologies to enhance productivity in the modern workplace.

• As a way of consolidating the gains from the career fair, Interswitch had also indicated that it has forged strategic partnerships with leading organisations such as LinkedIn, ProductDive, ALX, Oscar Temple, Kendor, Udemy, Decagon, and Semicolon, ensuring that attendees have ongoing direct access to a vast pool of expertise and unparalleled upskilling opportunities delivered by renowned experts.

Interswitch describes the new EFT Engineering Programme as “the most comprehensive, six-month intensive, hands-on payments engineering programme that will offer successful participants an exciting opportunity to learn from the very best in EFT engineering and operations locally and globally, hitting the road running by working on real projects that impact Africa’s digital banking landscape, and progressively shaping the future of payment technology in Africa, a continent that’s ranked the 2nd most innovative on the global payments innovation matrix.”

According to a 2023 study by SAP Africa, firms across West and East Africa continue to grapple with acute tech talent shortages, with the challenges expected to intensify over the next few years.

The report specifically indicates that 93% of organisations across the two regions say their needs for tech skills have increased in the past 24 months and 80% of Nigerian firms surveyed indicated they currently experience significant tech skill shortages.

A statement by Interswitch asserts that the frontline technology company has resolved to take the bull by the horns in re-writing the narrative around the issue of brain-drain from Africa.

Interswitch expresses strong conviction that;

“The onus lies on tech firms of African origin like ours to aggressively raise a new generation of talent, not just to meet our own company-specific recruitment requirements, but to replenish the talent pipeline holistically for the local industry, which underscores such talent development interventions like our latest EFT Engineering Programme, as well as through distinctive approaches to internal and external talent development and management, which have consistently been recognized at the annual Linkedin Talent Awards and Linkedin’s Top Employers in Nigeria series in 2019, 2022 and 2023, include the Interswitch Engineering Academy, the pioneering #InterswitchJobShadowing Program, and the Interswitch Career Fair Series, arguably Africa’s biggest annual technology career fair, now in its 3rd year.”

Applications for the inaugural Interswitch EFT Engineering Programme are ongoing and can be accessed on the company’s recruitment portal via the link here.

The conference, tagged ‘Beyond Boundaries 1.0‘, took place at The Brook, Stratford, London on Saturday 9th of March, and was curated for no-code tech career professionals and experienced product managers, with an overarching goal of enhancing the knowledge base of the product-focused community and  accelerating the careers of product managers as they explore new horizons in their field.

The one-day conference served as a pivotal point of convergence for product managers in the diaspora to bolster their expertise, establish connections, and ignite innovation within their organizations.

Speaking on the partnership with ProductDive, Tomi Ogunlesi, Divisional Head, Brands & Communications at Interswitch Group emphasized that as a key player in the digital payment landscape, Interswitch acknowledges the pivotal role of product management in shaping the future of technology and businesses.

“We are happy to once again partner with ProductDive for the second time, providing a platform for meaningful discussions that will propel the growth of product professionals“, he stated. “At Interswitch, we believe in empowering professionals not only to meet industry standards but to redefine them, fostering a community of innovation that transcends boundaries.”

He further emphasized the company’s commitment to prioritizing partnerships and platforms that enable growth in the tech industry.

Tobi Otokiti, founder of ProductDive and host of the conference, shared that the Beyond Boundaries conference was on a mission to empower African immigrants through technology by providing access to education, resources, and opportunities.

The free event featured workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and a free CV clinic all aimed at inspiring participants to excel in the tech industry and make meaningful contributions to the global economy.

Interswitch’s commitment to supporting and upskilling talent in the tech industry is evident through its sponsorship of the 2023 ProductDive Product Management Conference and the 2023 Inspire Africa Conference by the Silicon Valley Product Group, both hosted in Lagos.

By collaborating with various organizations on talent development initiatives such as these, Interswitch reiterates its focus on not only shaping the future of technology but also positively impacting the lives of millions through accessible, efficient, and secure financial services.

As the fintech landscape evolves, Interswitch remains at the forefront, driving progress and empowering individuals and businesses to thrive in an increasingly digital world.