Uber Launches high-impact learning programme for female drivers
Uber has launched a high-impact learning programme to help women drivers and those in their communities to develop the skills needed to thrive as independent entrepreneurs and make the most of earning opportunities. For this reason, Uber is partnering with African Management Institute (AMI) to deliver pilot upskilling programmes in South Africa.
As one of the largest platforms for independent and flexible opportunities, Uber is committed to empowering women through skills development that will help them expand earning generation opportunities for their families and communities. Uber in partnership with AMI is offering two personal development and entrepreneurship programmes – Skills for the Future and the Micro-enterprise Accelerator.
AMI’s approach focuses on the simple evidence-backed principle that adults learn by doing and applying their learning as they move through courses. “What’s exciting for these women entrepreneurs is that they can engage in learning on the go and gain skills they can apply to their businesses right away,” added Rebecca Harrison, CEO and co-founder of AMI. ”Instead of training in concepts and theories, AMI’s approach relies on teaching practical business skills and providing management tools that can be downloaded on a phone or laptop, and immediately applied as they work, anywhere and at any time.”
The 4-month Skills for the Future programme focuses on women drivers to help them address barriers to success as a modern independent entrepreneur. The programme will also help participants understand and financially plan for the risks that employment mobility can bring. Some of the challenges this programme addresses include managing competing priorities, effective planning, communication, managing difficult clients, and personal finance management.
The 6-month Micro-enterprise Accelerator programme focuses on helping community members improve the performance of their small businesses. Through the programme, entrepreneurs learn how to track key financial and performance business, understand the gaps in their key business processes and implement key business practices to improve/grow their business
Speaking about the collaboration, Alon Lits, Director and General Manager for Uber Sub-Saharan Africa explains, “Over the last few years we have seen how technology can change lives, as it has enabled thousands of people in the country to leverage earning opportunities through platforms like Uber and others. Through innovative partnerships such as these, we can improve the quality and security of independent opportunities while preserving the flexibility that entrepreneur’s value.
About Uber
Uber’s mission is to help people get a ride at the push of a button – everywhere and for everyone. We started in 2009 to solve a simple problem – how do you get a ride at the touch of a button? With over 10 billion trips later, we’ve started tackling an even greater challenge: reducing congestion and pollution in our cities by getting more people into fewer cars.
Uber is available in sixteen cities in Sub-Saharan Africa (Cape Town, Durban, Joburg, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, East London, Nairobi, Mombasa, Lagos, Abuja, Benin City, Kampala, Ivory Coast, Accra, Kumasi and Dar es Salaam). Overall, the Uber network is available in over 600 cities in over 65 countries. To request a ride, users must download the free application for Android, iPhone, Blackberry 7, or register for Uber at www.uber.com/go. For questions visit www.uber.com
About African Management Institute
AMI enables ambitious businesses across Africa to thrive, through practical tools and training. AMI equips entrepreneurs with tools to build their business, helps companies train their teams and runs work readiness programmes for young people. AMI’s programmes combine online and mobile tools with in-person workshops and on-the-job practice and support.
AMI works with a range of organisations to support networks of entrepreneurs to build their businesses, including the Mastercard Foundation, USAID, Shell Foundation and Equity Bank and has directly trained over 27,000 people in 15 countries through more than 80 programmes. AMI has offices in Nairobi, Kigali and Johannesburg.
AMI’s approach has seen a real impact on businesses, with small businesses increasing revenue by as much as 60% after taking the programme.
For more information on AMI & Uber’s partnership visit: www.africanmanagers.org/uberwomen
