In the digital world where customer engagement is premium, creating great products matters more than ever. With both digitally transformed tech and non-tech companies striving to deliver digital products, Digital Product Management has emerged as a new function in the digital world.
The job description of Product Managers (PM, for
short) is ambiguous – it differs across companies and industries. To know the important
roles of a Product Manager, we must know what Product Management is.
WHAT IS PRODUCT MANAGEMENT?
Product Management is the process of managing the lifecycle of a specific product of a business. It cuts across the phases of idea generation, product development and product marketing. It is a function at the heart of an organization as it strives to balance the needs of providing the customers’ wants and creating value for an organization as much as operationally possible.
Now that we technically know what Product
Management is, let us discuss the roles of a Product Manager.
THREE IMPORTANT ROLES OF A PRODUCT MANAGER
Product Strategy
Team/Stakeholder Communication
Managing the Product Lifecycle
PRODUCT STRATEGY
A product strategy is a high-level plan
describing what a business hopes to accomplish with its product, and how it
plans to do so. Product Managers develop the product strategy for
execution.
TEAM/STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION
Product Managers persuasively communicate the
product strategy using a product roadmap to key stakeholders across their
organizations: Executives, Investors, Development Team, etc. They sustain ongoing
communication across their cross-functional teams throughout the development
process and beyond. They also ensure all decisions made concerning development, marketing,
etc. reflect and support the product strategy.
MANAGING THE PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
Product Managers manage the lifecycle of a
product from inception, through engineering design and manufacture, to service
and disposal of manufactured products.
At Lead Resources, assisting businesses and organizations to build sustainable digital products is our forte. We offer consultation and incubation services to technology and non-technology startups. For more information, you can contact us at info@leadresources.com.ng or call 08097777094.
AUTHOR
Itua Emmanuel is an Associate Solutions Architect at Lead Resources and a Digital Marketer and Product Manager at Lanepact Ecosystems, a tech solutions organization that aids individuals and organizations to build sustainable solutions. Itua Emmanuel is also a business enthusiast and during his free time, he watches anime or reads a book.
Over the years, the Nigerian Educational System has suffered much lag and retrogression in its processes and operations. Although some have tried to change the status quo, most of us have abandoned the system to rot. There are over 85,000 private basic schools in Nigeria with a pressing need to adopt technology to drive their educational processes and operations especially in the “new normal,” the post-COVID-19 Nigeria.
With an average of 500 schools being served by the 10 leading School Management Solution Providers in Nigeria, the market space is underserved by approximately 99.4%. Now, most leading Education Solution Providers consolidate their efforts and sell their solutions to states where there are competitive and comparative advantages while they lack presence in other states.
Ademola Adenubi (CEO, CrownBirth)
Ogun state, although a leading state in education with over 5,000 private basic schools and 10 tertiary institutions, is unserved by any major School Management Solution Provider. Therefore, there is a need for a school management solution which provides a user experience that changes stakeholders’ perception to technology adoption in schools, penetrates other markets and gains competitive and comparative advantages while offering the transformation the educational system needs. For this cause, Crownbirth Ltd. designed and developed TAMS.
WHAT IS TAMS?
TAMS (Technology-Assisted Academic Management System) is a multi-tenant, cloud-based school management system which provides a personalised platform and user-friendly interface for schools and stakeholders in education to interact, manage information and coordinate school processes and operations. It is uniquely developed on a well-researched framework and models the generic information, requirements and processes of the Nigerian Education System. Crownbirth Ltd. designed, developed and offers TAMS on https://edutams.net.
FEATURES OF
TAMS
Some basic features of TAMS include self-service set-up, admissions management, registration management, attendance management, digital classes and live chat sessions, internal messaging channels, e-resources, e-assessment, hostel management, subscription management and bursary management.
BENEFITS OF TAMS
TAMS offers benefits to all stakeholders. For the government, TAMS provides a seamless education revenue report and supports the cashless policy. For school administrators, TAMS enables efficient monitoring of all activities within their school from student management to oversight of financial transactions. For teachers, TAMS eases the management of class schedules, students’ attendance, lesson notes, students’ results and communication with the guardians of their students. For parents, TAMS provides efficient updates on all school activities and academic performance of their wards. For students, TAMS keeps them abreast of all school activities and academic progress. For agents, TAMS provides an avenue for a recurrent commission per term for life on every school registered.
TAMS PRODUCT
LAUNCH
The product
launch of TAMS is scheduled for Wednesday, 25th November 2020 by 9 am (WAT) at Ball
Room, Conference Hotel, Presidential Boulevard, 1 Golf Resort Drive, Oke Mosan,
Abeokuta. Visit bit.ly/TamsLaunch to register for the launch.
The distinguished speakers for the product launch include Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu (Hon. Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Ogun State), Dr Adefunke Ekine (Deputy Director, Research and External Relations, Tai Solarin University), Mr Ajibade Laolu Adewale (Head of Partnership, Digital Solutions in Fintech, Wema Bank) and Mr Bosun Tijani (Founder and CEO of Co-Creation Hub). The special guest of honour is His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel (Former Governor, Ogun state).
Please note that seats are limited, registration is compulsory and physical attendance is strictly by invitation. However, the product launch can be watched via Livestream. When you register via the aforementioned link, you will be notified when the live stream begins. For more information on TAMS, visit www.edutams.net
REVIEWS OF
TAMS
TAMS makes teaching and learning easy. The e-learning solution relieves teachers of the stress of teaching on-site. The students can learn at home and attempt class activities as well. In a nutshell, TAMS is a relevant tool for the educational sector.
Michael Sangotope Transatlantic International school
TAMS has a robust approach to digitalizing all aspects of school management. I find the learning management system for lesson notes, schemes of work, quizzes and assignments second to none.
Akano Afeez Portal Admin, Transatlantic international school
With TAMS, engaging my students has become more interesting especially in taking their attendance, sharing my lesson content, using the e-assessment tool to evaluate their performance, and applying the results processing module (the very best) to generate results. Kudos to Crownbirth!
Adewale Kayode Abayomi Best Senior Secondary School Teacher, Ogun state 2020
TAMS provides solutions to the needs of all education stakeholders such as easy registration, attendance management, real-time learning and feedback, access of parents to students’ continuous performance, and effective communication amongst stakeholders. Also, all of the schools’ information is secure. As a private school teacher who is exposed to different academic solutions, I boldly state that TAMS is the most relevant Academic Management System for Basic Schools.
Adesanya Ademola Joseph Mathematics Teacher, Christ The King Catholic College, Odolewu-Ijebu
TAMS has taken my school to A NEW LEVEL, A HIGHER ONE. It was loudly applauded during our PTA meeting by the parents. It has eased the management and administration of my school. Students now have access to learning materials online (videos, texts, etc.) Parents are now abreast of the school activities of their children/wards. There is also effective reporting for each student in terms of academic performance, behaviour and punctuality.
Pastor Okusanya O. A. (NCE, B.ED, FCPILHM) Proprietor, Love Foundation group of schools
Marketing evolves. It changes to make for easier communication, better conversion rates, deeper trust between producer and consumer, and a myriad of other reasons. Consumers and investors are like babies; new ways to attract and please them need to be devised from time-to-time in order to communicate with them effectively and sustain their attention. A modern means to achieve this is by video marketing.
Now, what is video marketing? As the name suggests, it is simply the use of videos to engage your audience and market solutions to them. Videos are used to promote your brand, keep your audience in the know of what’s going on in your organization, promote goods sold or services rendered, explain the application of goods sold or services rendered, etc. There are many types of videos that companies and brands use such as explainer videos, interviews and “talking head” videos.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF VIDEO MARKETING?
Any organization that seeks to attain high Search Engine Optimization would do well to invest in video production as the two biggest search engines, Google and YouTube, are now linked; what this means is that a well-tagged video could increase an organization’s search engine ranking and conversion rates.
Research has shown that information retention can be as high as 80% in a case where information is seen and heard. This is very high compared to the 20% and 10% retention rates of information just seen and information just heard respectively.
Videos help to build trust. It helps customers attach faces and/or voices to an organization and her services thereby creating human connection. Often, it positively impacts their decision on subscribing to a promoted service or product.
It is relatively easy to get your videos out there. In this era of smartphones and laptops, customers can access your videos anywhere and at any time. Currently, there are multiple online platforms that organizations use to share video content for promoting their brands such as YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. These platforms have millions of users, therefore, with an efficient marketing strategy, your products can gain the attention of many potential clients, partners and even investors.
Now, a lot of brands and organizations are heavily into video marketing but many others are not utilizing videos for marketing purposes. In this digital age, if you want to maintain relevance, it is imperative to incorporate video marketing as a marketing strategy. Although quality video production can be tedious and expensive, it is always worth it.
For more marketing insights, contact Lead Resources’ Digital Marketing experts here. Let’s help take your business to the next level.
AUTHOR
Ugochukwu Nnamani is an Associate Solutions Architect at Lead Resources. He is a graduate of Political Science. He is a versatile guy with interests in videography, cinematography, social trends and politics. His hobbies include watching movies and anime, learning new things and meeting new people.
Statistics show that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of digital
services peaked all over the world. Because human contact became grossly
restricted, digital services proved to be essential as they allowed individuals,
small businesses and organizations to explore new ways of offering value to
their customers remotely. This led to the compulsory incorporation of digital
marketing as a strategy to acquire new customers and harness existing ones.
As the use of digital services increased, so did the search for digital marketing experts. Microsoft carried out research on the skills in high-demand by organizations in the “new normal.” Just as expected, digital marketing emerged as one of them! As a result, Microsoft invested $25 million in crafting out LinkedIn Learning Pathways – playlists of courses on those high-demand skills including Digital Marketing. Lead Resources, the first innovation hub in Ogun state, Nigeria, also created an internship programme for youths who seek mastery in these skills.
This proves that Digital Marketing can and will evolve. The aim of this
article is to create an awareness of the changes that are possible in and
through digital marketing, and why you should harness it now.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE FUTURE CHANGES OF DIGITAL MARKETING?
AI and Automation
Micro-Influencer Marketing
Vlogging
Voice Search and Visual Search
AI AND AUTOMATION
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming dominant in business. It
is taking over the execution of many simple jobs such as communication, product
recommendation, email personalization, etc. This will persist till it becomes
the norm. Therefore, it is important for all persons, particularly digital
marketers, and organizations to become familiar with AI by engaging it in their
everyday tasks. Integrating AI will accelerate growth, reduce staffing costs and
give one’s business the edge to stay atop.
Automation is not new in digital technology however it has become germane
in running digital campaigns. In the long-term, it will be beneficial for
digital marketers who embrace it now.
MICRO-INFLUENCER MARKETING
Influencer marketing is not a new concept and it remains a great way to
market your product to customers through someone that you trust. However, due
to its high success-rate, influencer marketers charge much more for their
services such that it has become very expensive for small and medium-sized
businesses to hire them. As a result, micro-influencer marketing was born. Micro-influencer
marketing refers to brands partnering with medium-sized influencers (influencers
who have 7,000 – 30,000 followers in their niche) to promote their products to
their followers using organic advertisements. Medium-sized influencers are popular
but are not loaded with sponsorships hence, they offer more affordable services.
VLOGGING
Vlogging is more popular than ever. It has a personal feel and gives room to empathize with one’s audience on a deeper level. However, vlogging can also be a practical marketing strategy. For example, vlogs can be used to live-stream special business events, share posts of business conferences, etc. Vlogging can assist in creating a strong brand image, making solid business-to-customer relationships and getting better engagement from your target audience.
VOICE SEARCH AND VISUAL SEARCH
With individuals owning voice-enabled devices and virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri, optimizing your digital marketing content for voice search is one of the best things you can do.
As regards visual search, Google has taken things to a whole new level. Google has introduced LENS, a visual tool that allows users to take a picture of an object or landmark to discover things such as where to find the object or landmark.
Things that can be recognized by Google LENS include:
Books
Plants
Animals
Apparels
Barcodes
Home goods
Business cards
Landmarks or building
Event flyers or billboards
This will ultimately revolutionize the way we search. Do you agree to the list above? Drop in the comment section what other changes we may see in Digital Marketing.
Itua Emmanuel is an Associate Solutions Architect at Lead Resources and a Digital Marketer and Product Manager at Lanepact Ecosystems, a tech solutions organization that aids individuals and organizations to build sustainable solutions. Itua Emmanuel is also a business enthusiast and during his free time, he watches anime or reads a book.
On 15th July 2020, LEAD Resources joined YALI and NACCIMA to commemorate the World Youth Skills Day (WYSD). WYSD is designated by the United Nations to celebrate skillful youths who channel their competencies towards causes that benefit the society. By so doing, WYSD creates awareness about the value of youth skills development.
LEAD Resources commemorated WYSD by hosting a seminar themed, “The competencies the youth should develop to leverage on COVID-19 era opportunities.” The speakers at the event were Alhaji Popoola (Ogun State Coordinator, NACCIMA Youth Entrepreneurs) and Mr. Kehinde Sogunle (Chief Solutions Architect, LEAD Resources).
LEAD Resources Commemorates WYSD 2020
How to Leverage Your Skills for Growth
Alhaji Popoola was the first speaker at the event. He taught, “How to leverage your skills for growth.” He stated that he was particularly pleased that the event was commemorated at a time where many have lost hope in Nigeria. The aim of his presentation was to help the youths identify skills (often regarded as useless) and determine how to make the contribute their quota by engaging their skills.
He explained that many youths regard their skills as irrelevant for income generation. He gave an example of a friend that loves to iron who established a laundry business that is scaling. Leveraging skills for growth begins by identifying one’s skills. He suggested that youths ask themselves the following questions to identify their skills:
What can I do
effortlessly?
What do I derive joy
in doing?
What are my parents
and grandparents good at?
What skill do I
believe can make me a better person?
Next, he emphasized the principle of apprenticeship. Submitting to a mentor helps one refine a crude skill to the end that it becomes money-spilling. Everyone needs to follow successful mentors to know the ups and downs to generating income from their skills as well as what made them successful.
He gave the following tips in submitting to mentorship:
Understand that
building a brand takes effort, patience and determination.
Allow your mentor to
determine the time-span of your apprenticeship.
Note the points that
your mentor makes at every opportune time.
Determine to be a
voice in your choice industry.
Avoid bad company
and societal influence.
Connect with people
of like minds.
He informed the youths that his organization, NACCIMA, pools information about relevant opportunities such as:
Training with GIZ
for the growth and commercialization of tomato and chili pepper.
Access to CBN
COVID-19 response loan (as well as multiple kinds of loans).
Aso-oke textile production
in an organization in South Africa.
He encouraged the youths to connect with organizations such as his, play their roles and benefit from the influx of information to develop their skills and/or scale their businesses.
He wrapped it up by emphasizing that in this digital era, businesses become seamless, efficient and worthwhile when digital competencies are integrated in the administration of one’s skills. He said, “If you want to work for the future, learn whatever you need to learn including AI.”
“If you want to work for the future, learn whatever you need to learn including AI.”
Alhaji Moruf Popoola, Ogun State Coordinator, NACCIMA Youth Entrepreneurs
The Competencies the Youth Should Develop to Leverage on COVID-19 Era Opportunities
After acknowledging the efforts of NACCIMA and YALI in raising skilled youths especially in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Kehinde Sogunle (Chief Solutions Architect, LEAD Resources), the second speaker for the day, took the stage at the WYSD celebration.
He started out by pointing out the fact that following the outbreak of COVID-19, a new era has emerged. Due to the restricted movement of all peoples for over 90 days, it is scientifically proven that this new lifestyle has been formed. He gave examples of how convergences happen online via the use of networking tools as opposed to unnecessary physical meetings.
Therefore, he highlighted the need to develop necessary competencies to thrive in this new era. He gave the following framework for personal discovery:
He said, “There are two types of people in life: Those who live with purpose and those who don’t.” In addition to the simple steps given by the first speaker, he gave the following steps to personal discovery:
Understand why you are here.
Identify where you are going to.
Have confidence in your convictions.
Determine how to arrive there (character and competence).
He said, “Those who create their life purpose are often able to live with extraordinary energy and motivation to overcome challenges.” He gave the example of the situation the Nigerian teachers have found themselves in: the inability to teach in classrooms and get paid. He explained that teachers in this age can thrive by sharing knowledge using new age tools and techniques to leverage their skills.
“Those who create their life purpose are often able to live with extraordinary energy and motivation to overcome challenges.”
Mr. Kehinde Sogunle, Chief Solutions Architect, LEAD Resources
Purpose is an intersection of the following:
What you love doing.
What you are good at.
What the world needs.
What you can be paid
for.
Furthermore, he taught the concept of the virtual realm. The virtual realm is the realm between the physical realm and mental realm. For example, people wrote on paper tangibly but now write on devices intangibly. The former exemplifies the physical realm while the latter exemplifies the virtual realm.
He made the audience understand that this is the new normal for the new economy, the digital economy. He gave the elements of traditional economy:
Resources, e.g. Raw materials.
Secondary, e.g. Manufacturing.
Tertiary, e.g. Real estate.
Quaternary, e.g. Education.
He also gave examples of the elements of the digital economy:
Resources, e.g. Big
Data.
Infrastructure, e.g.
Data Carriers.
Services, e.g.
Software-as-a-service.
Customers, e.g. IoT,
eCommerce, eLearning.
The Business and Sustainable Development Commission gave a projection that a staggering $12 trillion & 380 million new jobs will be enabled by the digital economy in 2030. Especially in Africa (the continent with the largest and youngest workforce), the youths need to develop the new age skills to create solutions, play in the Digital Economy and make Africa great.
He taught that regardless of what a person studies, he or she can find a niche in the virtual economy. He highlighted that the critical areas and business imperatives that Africans can engage among the 17 global goals:
Food & Agriculture.
Transport, Infrastructure & Logistics.
Health.
Albert Einstein said, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used to create them.” Mr. Kehinde Sogunle explained that the problems we created in the traditional economy and physical space can only be solved in the digital economy and virtual space.
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used to create them.”
Albert Einstein, Theoretical Physicist
Furthermore, he encouraged the youths to choose to contribute to the global goals by leveraging technology. He explained that they will get value if they resolve to attain them.
After it was established that accelerated acquisition of knowledge and skills is required, he taught that it is wise to subscribe to the offerings of transition organizations such as LEAD Resources that help raise a new breed of competent youths that can take the world by storm.
He said, “Education + Vocational Skills + Computer Literacy are not enough to guarantee employability and entrepreneurship in the Digital Economy.” He stated that the required competencies for the digital economy are:
Digital Literacy.
Financial Literacy.
Business Enterprise Literacy.
Talent Management.
“Education + Vocational Skills + Computer Literacy are not enough to guarantee employability and entrepreneurship in the Digital Economy.”
Mr. Kehinde Sogunle, Chief Solutions Architect, LEAD Resources
Access to Finance through Business Enterprise Development
Start Up School Nigeria/Scale Up Academy
2.
Digital Conversion/Leverage
Digital Quotient
Digital Economy
Emerging Managers’ Programme
Digital Economy
Conversion Programme
Turning Academic
Research into Innovation
3.
Personal Talent Management
Personal Assessment
Personal Digital
Profiling & Management
4. Successor Generation Streaming Initiative
To learn more about these offerings, click here. He added some other relevant avenues for the youths to upskill such as:
IBM
Digital Nation
Google
Digital Skills
LinkedIn
Opportunity
He gave the ten jobs in highest demand in 2020 and encouraged the youths to explore and acquire skills in these areas:
Digital Marketer
IT Support
Graphic Designer
Financial Analyst
Data Analyst
Software Developer
Project Manager
Sales Representative
IT Admin
Customer Service
Mr. Kehinde Sogunle rounded off with the parable of the sower in the Holy Bible. He encouraged the youths to have hearts that are fertile soils by choosing to develop their skills, acquire competencies and revolutionize their world, one day at a time.
To subscribe to relevant updates and opportunities for youths, click here.
LEAD Resources is a strategic human capital development social enterprise with a focus on governance, enterprise and technology hinged on generating opportunities, stimulating innovation and creating solutions to address challenges in the polity.
ABOUT DEEM
The Digital Economy Emerging Managers’ (DEEM) programme is LEAD Resources’ intensive 3-month internship for graduates designed to equip them with practical knowledge of and competencies for the Digital Economy.
The DEEM programme provides measurable on-the-job
training that
yields performance allowances and commissions during the internship. The
DEEM programme is the core offering of LEAD Resources.
The DEEM programme aims to
develop talented youths by providing:
Awareness of the Digital Economy
Talent management
Industry-based projects
Guided work experience
Wholesome mentorship
Networking opportunities
Advocacy and ambassador opportunities
JOB OFFERS
Listed below are some of LEAD Resources’ partners offering business development, project management and executive assistance jobs. The DEEM programme provides a fast-track, intensive training to equip participants with the competencies required for the jobs below (and many more).
An Oxygen Production Plant: This facility is at construction stage and will be commissioned in Ogun state. The plant aims to supply sufficient oxygen to health institutions in Ogun state and environs.
A United States Health Diagnostics Device Company: This company seeks a digital health diagnostics representative to interface with hospitals, health management organisations and high-net-worth-individuals that require personalized healthcare.
A Precious Metals Buying Platform: This technology platform seeks regulators to manage transactions for solid minerals in Lagos while interfacing with the executives and service maintenance developers in Abeokuta.
A Domestic Gas Production and Marketing Plant: This company seeks executive assistants for profiling and accountability duties.
A Tertiary Education Management Platform: This platform seeks innovators and developers for:
A locally and internationally certified blended learning platform.
A robust university management platform.
An internationally recognized online assessment platform.
PHASES OF THE DEEM PROGRAMME
PHASE 1: CAPACITY BUILDING
This is the first phase which occurs during the first 5 weeks of the DEEM programme. It comprises a set of introductory classes and tutelage training on the following:
Introduction to LEAD Resources, our partners and projects
Introduction to LEAD Resources’ collaboration platforms
Mercer/Mettl personality profiling
Video-based reflections
Questions and answers
Digital Economy Competency roadmap learning
Delivery of 9 DEEM modules: Here, the competencies required for the Digital Economy are taught extensively in 9 modules by world-class facilitators who are professionals in these fields. The classes are highly engaging as all participants are required to share their views, lessons learnt and practical applications to real-life situations.
OVERVIEW OF THE 9 MODULES OF DEEM
PILLARS
SELF
ENTERPRISE
TECHNOLOGY
PRINCIPLES
Character
Entrepreneurship
Digital Economy Principles
PRACTICES
Financial Literacy
Business Models & Digital Transformation
Emerging Technology
TOOLS
Talent Management
Digital Social Business
Data Science & AI
GOALS
CITI – Creative, Intelligent, Talented, Innovative
Disruptive
Leapfrog, Enabled, Valuable, Leverage, Scales
Character – This is the first course in the DEEM programme. Here, the participants learn, unlearn and relearn the pillars of character and the proper work ethics to breakthrough, thrive and retain relevance in the 21st century.
Financial Literacy – This is a course wherein the participants are equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage and grow personal and organizational financial resources. They are given insights into principles and measures for making the best decisions towards the achievement of financial goals.
Talent Management –In this course, the profile, skills and brand of each participant are objectively assessed. This is to the end that the participants reposition themselves (showcase their strengths and work on their weaknesses) while morphing into competent players in the Digital Economy.
Entrepreneurship – Here, participants are enlightened on the principles of value creation and exchange. They are educated on the fundamentals of starting, sustaining and scaling organizations in the Digital Economy.
Business Models & Digital Transformation – In this course, participants are given insights on harnessing technology for optimal business performance in the Digital Age. They are taught how to create digital business models.
Digital Social Business – Here, participants learn how to acquire, build and retain customer relationships across various media channels so as to sell value and achieve desired goals. They are taught how to collect and harness big data for big profit.
Digital Economy Principles – This course provides participants with guidelines and measures for operating as competent players in an economy that is driven by digital technologies. Participants are taught to play in the global economy regardless of the apparent limitations of their immediate environment.
Emerging Technologies – This course introduces participants to the world of novel technologies such as Augmented Reality and Internet of Things to the end that participants learn to leverage them to be at the forefront of the Digital Economy.
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence – The 21st century has presented the world with the 4th Industrial Revolution wherein data is king. Participants are taught how to harness big data so as to predict future outcomes and simulate desired customer experiences in any venture.
PHASE 2: EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
This is the second phase which occurs between the sixth week and tenth week of the DEEM programme. It involves the practical application of all principles learnt and competencies gained in the first phase of the programme hence deepening the learning experience. It covers the following:
Digital Economy Competency tasks and activities
Acquisition of professional badges and certifications
Individual and collaborative assignments within the organization
Engagement in internal projects of LEAD Resources for real work experience
Interaction, consultancy sessions and submission of feedback to facilitators
PHASE 3: MONITORING AND EVALUATION
This is the third phase which occurs between the eleventh week and twelfth week of the DEEM programme. This is the period for the review and assessment of all the competencies gained. Here:
The performance of each participant is assessed and recorded
A Mercer/Mettl learning and development assessment is carried out
Each participant is required to develop a personal action plan for career and/or business by the application of new knowledge and tools
PHASE 4: GUIDED ENGAGEMENT
This is the fourth phase which occurs during the 13th week of the DEEM programme. Here, each participant is guided into an appropriate career path. This phase provides the following:
An online forum for mentorship by facilitators and interaction with peers
Lifetime access to all lecture materials (recordings, lecture notes and books)
After graduation, retention of successful participants or referral to our partners and clients
FOR WHOM
DEEM
is designed for graduates who have completed the mandatory NYSC year or will
complete it in about 2 months. Therefore, the minimum qualifications are:
Bachelor’s Degree or HND equivalent
NYSC call up letter or certificate
Other requirements include:
Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Suite and the Internet.
Proficiency in the use of English language (spoken and written).
Learning agility and zeal to upskill.
Critical thinking and stress management.
Ability to work under minimum supervision.
Communication and presentation skills.
Ability to handle confidential matters.
Ability to develop SMART goals and prioritize accordingly.
LEAD Resources is in the process of entering into a collaboration agreement with the Board of Directors, Remo Growth and Development Foundation (RemoGDF). The purpose of this collaboration is to engage in strategic Human Capital Development initiatives for the indigenes of Remo land.
On the 29th of February 2020, LEAD Resources scheduled a meeting with Mr. Abiola Ogundeko, the Director for Youth Development, RemoGDF, towards the establishment of this collaboration wherein a “3-point agenda” was proposed.
DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
The first agenda is the activation,
development and encouragement of Small and Medium Enterprises to be true catalysts
of the economic development of Remo land.
The following are the objectives of this
agenda:
Improving
human capital to become effective players in the economic development of Remo
land.
Building
a sustainable system for stimulating and developing the Small and Medium Scale
Enterprises ecosystem in Remo land.
Rapidly
providing conspicuous benefits for the populace via the operations of the
ministry.
Supporting
Remo land by achieving the objective of creating effective public and private
collaborations in the programme.
CONVERSION OF DORMANT SCHOOL BUILDING TO TECH HUBS
The second agenda is the conversion of
uncompleted and dormant model government school buildings in Remo land to
Technology Hubs.
The following are the objectives of this
agenda:
Improving human capital to become effective players in the economic development of Remo land.
Collaborating with more government programmes (such as Ogun Job Portal) to channel technology solutions towards the administrative challenges of the government in catering for the wellbeing of citizens.
Building a sustainable system for stimulating and developing the Information Technology ecosystem in Remo land.
Rapidly providing conspicuous benefits for the populace via the operations of the Technology Hubs and stimulating the activation of Technology hubs in other zones of Ogun state.
Supporting the government to achieve the objective of creating the path for emergence of the state as a leading player in the digital economy.
LEAD Resources believes that the
conversion of one of the old, model schools in Remo land to a Technology Hub
for Ogun state will symbolize the commitment of Remo community to Human Capital
Development, empowering the people with relevant competencies for this digital
age.
LEAD RESOURCES TO SERVE AS MODEL FOR YOUTHS IN INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The third agenda of the collaboration is
for LEAD Resources to serve as a model in Nigeria for building innovation and
entrepreneurship capacity in Nigerian youths. This cause is towards raising
competent youths for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) and active participation in the Digital Economy.
At LEAD Resources, we believe the youths
can be developed and mobilized for the overall acceleration of Nigeria. Via a structured
process of providing relevant education and harnessing talent and energy, the Global
Goals – living well, living happy and living large – can be the new normal for
the Nigerian youth. LEAD Resources seeks to accomplish this by engaging the
youths in pragmatic trainings of the Digital Economy Competence Systems such
as:
General SDG Awareness
Digital Economy Competencies
Personal Talent Profiling and Management
Solution Conference and Design Thinking
Community Solution Clusters
Start Up and Scale Up Academies
In conclusion, LEAD Resources is enthusiastic to collaborate with RemoGDF towards the implementation of these initiatives which will foster creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship amongst Remo indigenes while also enabling the community (and beyond) to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Dukia Gold is a precious metals transaction platform developed to provide holistic solutions to the myriads of challenges in the solid mineral industry in Nigeria. It is available for download at Google Play Store.
WHY DUKIA GOLD?
Nigeria has suffered endemic corruption in virtually every sector and sphere. Daily, many are churned out of the system with a couple of disadvantages that propel them to descend into the pit of corruption and wickedness against their fellow men. However, there are always a select few who have hearts to fight lawlessness in their spheres of influence. This Dukia Gold is a contribution of such people.
The state-of-the-art solution was developed to introduce transparency and order into Nigeria’s precious metals industry, especially as it pertains to gold. The solution automates transactions from end-to-end such that all stakeholders benefit expressly and accordingly.
This is a contribution of Dukia Gold team and Heritage Bank.
THE DUKIA GOLD JOURNEY
Dukia Gold was born of another platform. It was not created with the intention to take the world by storm as it were; it was developed to be a proof of concept by a group of young, local developers. The solution which opened the way for the development of Dukia Gold is called Hamora.
Hamora is the premiere online, socio-cultural platform which aggregates the culture and heritage of Ogun state. It is a crowd-sourcing platform which allows for indigenes of the state to share their own content in history, artifacts, commerce, business, projects, festivals and related socio-cultural topics. The Hamora platform was developed between October and December, 2019 by the Technology and Innovation team of LEAD Resources, Marcellus Nwankwo and Ayo Lala.
After development, Hamora was showcased to the Digital Advisory Economy Group. The Chairman of the Digital Advisory Economy Group (the Former MD. of Chams Technology, Lagos), Mr. Williams, appreciated the thought process, the work process, the delivery of the presentation and the potential of the platform.
Mr.
Williams verified the true creators of the Hamora platform to be “local web
developers,” the Technology and Innovation team of LEAD Resources, Marcellus
Nwankwo and Ayo Lala. In the moment, he suggested to the Chief Solutions
Architect of LEAD Resources, Mr. Kehinde Sogunle, that another application be
developed, one that he envisioned would be ground-breaking, proving that such a
thing can be created by Nigerian youths.
Thereafter,
a formal meeting was held where they discussed the scope of what the young
developers were to accomplish and in no time, work started. It started out as a
proof of concept as the developers presented a minimum viable product within
two weeks. In no time, this minimum viable product became a product that was
sought for by major stakeholders.
The developers thereafter had to review and deepen the platform. This led to the collaboration of the Dukia Gold team with Heritage Bank Plc. The work process for Dukia Gold is such that it incorporates the transactional and storage facilities of a bank, which of course is now Heritage Bank Plc.
Dukia
Gold was launched on the 9th of June, 2020 by 9 am via Zoom – Meet
and Chat. In attendance were over 425 guests including stakeholders such as:
The Launch of Dukia Gold
The
Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Professor
Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON;
The
Minister of Mines & Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite;
The
Minister of State, Mines & Steel Development, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah;
The
Minister of Finance, Budget & National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed;
The
Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo;
The
Executive Governor, Ekiti state, Mr. Kayode Fayemi;
The
Chairman, Heritage Bank, Jani Ibrahim;
The
Managing Director, Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sakibo;
The
Managing Director, Lagos Commodities & Futures Exchange (LCFE), Mr. Akin
Akeredolu-Ale;
The
Managing Director, PAC Capital, Mr. Humphrey Oriakhi;
The
Managing Director, NewWaves Ecosystem, Mr. Femi Williams;
The
Executive Secretary, Solid Mineral Development Fund, Mrs. Hajiyaf Fatima
Shinkefi;
The
Director, Global Head, Advisory and Capital Markets, AFREXIM Bank, Mr. Ibrahim
Sagna;
The
Chief Solutions Architect, LEAD Resources, Mr. Kehinde Sogunle;
Amongst many other relevant
stakeholders!
HOW TO USE
Dukia Gold comprises all the necessary tools for a seller to begin and complete transactions. First, the application is downloaded from Google Play Store and installed accordingly. After installation, the user is prompted to complete a registration process.
Sellers
can register in Non-Licensed category as:
Artisanal Miner
Aggregator
Recycled Gold Seller (such as
housewives and gold owners)
Sellers
can register in Licensed category as:
Small-scale miners
Tier 1
Large-scare miners
Thereafter,
registration is complete!
The application intelligently engages in Know Your Customer (KYC) verification using facial recognition technology against Bank Verification Number (BVN), thereby verifying accounts for sellers, real time. A unique DUKIA membership code is created after successful registration. Subsequent log in to the application is via facial recognition, fingerprint or password.
After
log in, the user is taken to the home page which contains the tools for all
transactions. The miner or seller then proceeds to any of the buying centres at
Heritage Bank nationwide to sell his or her gold. The miner or seller initiates
the transaction on the mobile app.
The buying centres are equipped with sophisticated electronic weighing scale and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) devices which give undisputed certificate of quality with the percentage of gold and other elements in the sample. The seller is attended to by a world-class precious metals assay and evaluation expert.
After
evaluation of the sample, the seller consents to the offer and Heritage bank
credits the sellers’ account electronically. The gold sample is packaged in a
tamper-proof bag for vaulting and onward processing and subsequent storage in a
bank vault.
The
platform complies with all relevant local and international standards such as
OECD, OBMA, Responsible Gold Buying and NDPR guidelines. It is thoroughly
user-friendly and proudly Nigerian.
This
Dukia-Gold application has taken the solid mineral industry in Nigeria by storm
and gradually, its relevance is spreading beyond the shores of the nation, just
like a dream!
Patently, the Ministry of Youth and Sport has consistently devised means to develop the latent potential of the youths of Ogun state. Therefore, LEAD Resources has sought collaboration with the Government via the Ministry of Youth and Sport to serve as a model for building innovation and entrepreneurship capacity in Nigerian youths.
This cause is towards raising competent youths for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and active participation in the Digital Economy. LEAD Resources seeks to accomplish this by engaging the youths in pragmatic training programmes on the Digital Economy Competency Systems such as:
General SDG Awareness
Digital Economy Competencies
Personal Talent Profiling and Management
Solution Conference and Design Thinking
Community Solution Clusters
Start-Up and Scale-Up Academies
General SDG Awareness
This will be provided through a cascaded training process (including the training of trainers so as to ensure effective coverage and delivery) of the essential elements, philosophies and justification of the SDGs for the youths. It will create a compelling case for committed action towards achieving the Global Goals through the engagement of ideas, enterprises of AYEEN and stakeholders.
Digital Economy Competencies
This will complement the normal academic curriculum with the relevant digital competencies to thrive in this digital age. Youths will be groomed to maximize opportunities and create defined career paths in corporate work, entrepreneurship and academia. The top-up programme will update their awareness of the digital economy and foster an appreciation of the forces driving and shaping the global economy.
The course will
develop entrepreneurs by equipping them with the tools, skills and techniques
to operate the levers of the 4th Industrial Revolution. In turn,
this will reinforce the relevance of convergence and disruptive technologies
and highlight the limitless possibilities for widespread solution creation.
Also, it is
intended that the youths will be able to recognize the paradigms and gaps of
their current disciplines and maximize the opportunity to adapt insights for application
in the digital economy.
Personal Talent Management
This will explore the personal skills, profile and brand management of youths in their sphere of influence. This will provide the opportunity for an objective and thorough assessment of each entrepreneur covering who they are, where they are, what they are capable of and what is required of them to be accurately positioned as competent players in the digital economy.
Solutions Conference and Design Thinking
The Solutions Conference seeks to prepare the participants for solutions generation in services, products and applications that meet the needs of the community. This engagement will involve sessions on emerging technologies and relevant skills that can facilitate the building of products that can scale to wider domains. The conference will also involve the process of design thinking, the process of idea validation and the creation of minimum viable products.
Community Solutions Clusters
This involves the formation of clusters of youths in various communities and sectors that will use the acquired competencies from the previous stages to create and maintain solutions that can address the needs of their market and stakeholders. It will produce an understanding of the value chain in the market and how digital technologies can be used to address the needs and the expectations of employees, customers and other stakeholders.
Start-Up and Scale-Up Academies
The Start-Up and Scale-Up Academies are targeted at the application of promising ideas from the previous stages. They teach practical involvement in the business life cycle, the process of determining and attaining the required financial resources for business growth and the necessary digital skills to attract, reach and retain the market as well as understanding the performance and potential of customers, products, markets and the organization.
On Thursday 30th January 2020, LEAD Resources held a meeting with the Hon. Commissioner for Youth and Sport, Dr. Kehinde Oluwadare at M.K.O. Abiola Stadium, Kuto. At the meeting, LEAD Resources delivered a presentation on how these initiatives can help the Ogun State Government build the capacity of youths for employability in the digital economy.
In attendance was The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Job Creation and Youth Empowerment as well as other directors of the Ministry. They were all impressed by the delivery and content of the presentation and expressed willingness to collaborate with LEAD Resources on these programmes.
At LEAD Resources, we believe the youths
can be developed and mobilized for the overall acceleration of Nigeria. Via a structured
process of providing relevant education and harnessing talent and energy, the Global
Goals – living well, living happy and living large – can be the new normal for
the Nigerian youth.
Venture Garden Group (VGG) is a leading provider of innovative, data-driven, end-to-end technology platforms created to solve real socio-economic challenges in impact sectors critical to sustainable economic development. LEAD Resources, which has a vision to be the indisputable knowledge leadership and real solutions provider out of Africa, sought to merge forces with VGG to birth more progress in the economy of Ogun state.
On the 25th of February, 2020, LEAD Resources held a meeting with the management of Venture Garden Group. In attendance were the Chief Solutions Architect of LEAD Resources, Mr. Kehinde Sogunle, the Managing Director and CEO of Highland Energy Solutions Services Limited, Dr. Sogunle, Associate Solutions Architect of LEAD Resources, Obot Essiet Jr., Associate Solutions Architect of LEAD Resources, Oyebola Simeon, CEO of kkkkk, Mr. Kingsley amongst other reputable fellows. The meeting took place at the Conference Room of Venture Gardens Group, Ikeja, Lagos.
LEAD Resources, Venture Garden Group and kkkkk Ably Represented
During the meeting, the Deputy Chief
Technology Officer of Venture Garden Group rendered a welcome address, briefly
introducing the software company. He stated that they were in the business of
converting “data to cash.” He expatiated on the services, products and
achievements of the company, such as their EduTech platform, E-Health platform
as well as their virtual internship programme for ICT enthusiasts wherein they
are actively involved in grooming over 1200 interns.
The Chief Solutions Architect of LEAD Resources was given the floor and he discussed the various human capital development and social enterprise projects that LEAD Resources has engaged in and continues to engage in fiercely. He emphasized on how Venture Garden Group can be established and scale aggressively in Abeokuta via strategic collaboration with Ogun Tech Hub. Many opportunities were reeled out to promote the services and products of Venture Garden Group so as develop human capital on a wider scale as well as to make profit.
In conclusion, LEAD Resources, Ogun Tech Hub and Venture Gardens Group decided to collaborate, sign a Memorandum of Understanding and kick-start partnership for the greater good, human capital development.
