Think Creative - Issue 4

8 | Think Creative | Fall 2018 updates from around our world Dispatches It’s the first day of class, and professor George Smith has his new students’ computers con- nected and ready to launch the online certifica- tion platform that will help them prepare to enter the formal workforce. But as the 26 students take their seats in this community space on Little Corn Island off the Southern Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua, Smith realizes he has two problems: Most of the students do not know how to navigate the internet, and few of them have email addresses to register for the course. So Smith has to start with the basics. “The first thing we teach these young people is how to use the computer, use the internet, enter and navigate the online course website and create an email account,” he says. In the Southern Caribbean Coast region, 45 percent of school-age boys and 40 percent of girls are not in school. A quarter of all students are illiterate. Overall, only an estimated 25 per- cent of Nicaraguans use the internet, and only about 11 percent of internet users are looking for educational resources. The lack of education and the technical and digital skills gap are holding these youth back as employers increasingly value computer- savvy workers. Smith is helping local youth on this small island bridge that gap with his class, which uses technology to teach other in- demand job skills. The online coursework Smith’s students are using was developed by the Aprendo y Empren- do project in partnership with the Carlos Slim Foundation’s Capacítate para el Empleo (Train Yourself for Work) program and a local hotel and restaurant that will provide themwith hands-on training. The course guides students toward earning a certification in food and beverage management while also gaining life skills and financial and digital literacy. Aprendo y Emprendo, funded by USAID and implemented by Creative, provided scholar- ships to the 26 students – nearly all are from the Creole ethnic minority and 18 are women. The group will complete 48 hours of online learning and 26 hours of practical experience. Opening doors to learning online Student Reynor Pineda Campbell, 19, says through the course, he has been learning about innovation and customer service – crucial skills in a local economy largely driven by tourism. “I have learned to use the internet to study and to learn, and I recommend that other young people use it to prepare themselves for work,” he says. “The internet can help educate us and grow our knowledge.” Nicaragua // Aprendo y Emprendo Surfing the technology wave Online and blended learning are offering new opportunities in technical education and digital skills development for Nicaraguan youth. Photo by Gretchen Robleto