Foundations Program Overview .pdf
- 1. Professional Foundations Program Overview Privileged and confidential. All Rights Reserved May 2024
- 2. Professional Foundations at a Glance ✔ Professional Foundations represents the fundamental skills needed to succeed in the professional world ✔ For young professionals aiming to excel in tech careers ✔ 8 weeks of engaging learning content and hands-on individual and team deliverables ✔ develop key 21st-century skills for professional growth
- 3. Why Is Professional Foundations Essential? In a landscape where character and soft skills are as vital as code, Foundations ensures you lead with competence and confidence. Elevate your career with this essential toolkit covering the fundamental professional skills of an ever-evolving tech industry. Because in tech, a solid professional foundation is the key to success.
- 4. Professional Foundations Program Highlights Collaborative Learning Learners collaborate with peers in squads to share feedback, engage in teamwork, support each other's growth, and build a strong professional network. Career Readiness Learners gain essential professional development skills needed to excel in today's workplace. Practical Application Learners apply newly acquired skills through real-world exercises and guided deliverables.
- 6. Problem Many young professionals lack the professional skills needed to succeed in today's job market. The Professional Foundations program equips young professionals with the skills they need to thrive in the workplace. Solution NEEDS ANALYSIS
- 7. META SKILLS Professional Foundations empowers learners with Meta-Skills Critical Thinking Examine facts and evaluate solutions for decisions Quantitative Reasoning Evaluate data and make decisions Managing Complex Tasks Plan and execute for complex projects and tasks Tech Skills Building a personal Tech Toolkit Leading Self Develop self-awareness and personal values Leading Others Improve collaboration and leadership Entrepreneurial Thinking See opportunities and seize them creatively Communicating for Impact Improving written and spoken communication
- 8. META SKILLS The Professional Foundations Program has 8 meta-skills that prepare learners to thrive in any workplace with… Leadership Analysis Execution Quantitative Reasoning Managing Complex Tasks Tech Skills Leading Self Leading Others Entrepreneurial Thinking Communicating for Impact Critical Thinking 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
- 9. META SKILLS The Professional Foundations 8 Meta-Skills Leading Self: Developing self-awareness, positive habits and personal values Leading Others: Collaborating with teammates to achieve a common goal Communicating for Impact: Sharing ideas & messages effectively Quantitative Reasoning: Leveraging data to make well-informed decisions Entrepreneurial Thinking: Identifying opportunities and problem-solving Critical Thinking: Evaluating situations and approaches thoroughly Managing Complex Tasks: Planning & executing multi-faceted projects Tech Skills: Leveraging tech tools to be more efficient & productive Leadership Analysis Execution
- 10. META SKILLS FOR PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS Critical Thinking Leading Self Leading Others ✔ Authentic Inquiry ✔ Research ✔ Analysis ✔ Argument & Judgement ✔ Synthesis Professional Foundations equips learners with 8 meta skills for success. ✔ Self Awareness ✔ Self Regulation ✔ Ethics & Integrity ✔ Self Improvement ✔ Empathy ✔ Feedback ✔ Relationship Building ✔ Influence ✔ Collaboration Entrepreneurial Thinking ✔ Identifying Opportunities ✔ Creating Solutions ✔ Continuous Iteration ✔ Viability ✔ Sustainability Communicating for Impact Managing Complex Tasks Quantitative Reasoning ✔ Audience Awareness ✔ Voice ✔ Writing Process ✔ Organizing for Effective Communication ✔ Storytelling & Presentation ✔ Define the Problem ✔ Structuring ✔ Work planning & Resource Allocation ✔ Prioritization ✔ Data Contextualization ✔ Uncertainty & Modelling in the Real World ✔ Empirical Research ✔ Data Based Decision Making ✔ Quantitative Problem Solving Tech Ecosystem ✔ Working in Technical & Product Teams ✔ Tech Tools ✔ Ethics in Tech ✔ Technical Literacy ✔ Tech Track Specialization
- 11. Professional Foundations Program Outcomes 01. Updated Skills Tracker Learners will create a plan to reach their career goals and move forward in their careers. 02. Work Plan Learners will embark on a real-world problem solving project, where they will build, iterate and test to improve their work and apply problem-solving skills. 03. Prototyping 04. Professional Kit Learners will understand their strengths, areas of expertise, and areas for growth. Learners will make a resume, LinkedIn profile, and portfolio to show their AI skills and interest employers.
- 12. WEEK BY WEEK FLOW Week 1 Activities Skills Map Baseline, Target Role & Industry Reflection, Group Introductions, Tech Onboarding Milestones Skills Map Baseline Introductory Survey Optional Hub Activities Karibu Opening, Ceremony Karibu, Closing Ceremony, Networking Session Tech Tools for the week Peer Review Platform The Fellowship Portal Getting Started Daily 3 Onboarding & Program Overview The Room Fellowship Values & Community GCGOs for Africa
- 13. WEEK BY WEEK FLOW Week 2 Activities Moonshot Idea, PICS, Personal Mission Statement, Peer Coaching Milestones Skills Map Update Personal Mission Statement Report on Peer Coaching Optional Hub Activities Karibu Opening, Ceremony Karibu, Closing Ceremony, Networking Session Tech Tools for the week Google Workspace: Gmail & Calendar, Intro to AI Daily 3 Karibu Lessons Values & Empathy Exploring African GCGOs Self Awareness & Emotional Intelligence Growth Mindset & Grit Self Regulation & Improvement Time Management
- 14. WEEK BY WEEK FLOW Week 3 Activities Problem Statement, Effective Questions, Research Questions, Research Planning, Web Research, Reflection Milestones Problem Statement, Summary of Web Research on GCGO Optional Hub Activities Peer Review: Problem Statements Tech Tools for the week Google Workspace: Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides, Using AI for Research Daily 3 Habit Formation Goal Setting Defining Problems & User Stories Problem Solving Asking the Right Questions Research Methodology & Ethics
- 15. WEEK BY WEEK FLOW Week 4 Activities Meditation Challenge, Personal & Professional Goals, Problem Impact Assessment, Story Behind my GCGO, Project Scope, Work Planning Milestones Presentation Report on GCGO Related Problem, Learner Goals Optional Hub Activities Sharing our Stories, Scope Creep Tech Tools for the week Google Slides, Canva Daily 3 Goal Setting Communication for Impact Creating Presentations & Technical Writing Communication in Tech Teams Design Thinking Work Planning
- 16. WEEK BY WEEK FLOW Week 5 Activities Connect with the Team, Reflection & Scoping of Problem, Data Cleaning, Finding the Right Data, Visualize Your Data, Your Idea List, Calculating TAM & SAM Milestones Team Problem Statement, Evidence of Problem with Data Visualization Optional Hub Activities Team Introduction & Roles, Data Research & Visualization Tech Tools for the week Google Meet, Zoom, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel Daily 3 Problem Definition Teamwork Best Practices Agile Technology Teams: Roles & Processes Research & Data Gathering Data Cleaning & Preparation Data Visualization Identifying Opportunities Generating Solutions Understanding the Market
- 17. WEEK BY WEEK FLOW Week 6 Activities Defining Users vs Customers, Create User Persona, Conducting User Interviews Milestones Initial Wireframe Description, User Interview Report, Team Ideation Report Optional Hub Activities Choosing a User Persona, Conducting User Interviews, Brainstorming Solutions, Deciding on the tech solution Tech Tools for the week Canva, Figma, Miro Daily 3 Understanding the User User Interviews Intro to Wireframes & Prototypes Teamwork & Team Communication Conflict Management & Negotiation Generating Solutions & Making Decisions Human Centered Design
- 18. WEEK BY WEEK FLOW Week 7 Activities Needs & Pain Points, Solution Recommendations, Constraints for Your Solutions, KPIs for the Solution,Prototype/Wireframe of the Solution Milestones Skills Map Update, Final Prototype/Wireframe, Slide Deck to explain and pitch your solution Optional Hub Activities Solution Recommendations, Pain Points, Constraints & KPIs, Prototype/Wireframe Improvement, Creating Pitch Slide Deck, Tech Track Reflection, Bio & Coping with Imposter Syndrome Tech Tools for the week Google Slides, Canva, Microsoft Powerpoint, AI for Presentations Daily 3 Generating Solution Product Requirements Pitch Preparation Powerful Presentations Identifying Opportunities Wireframes & Prototypes
- 19. WEEK BY WEEK FLOW Week 8 Activities Resume Writing, LinkedIn Profile, Interview Preparation, Project Pitch (optional) Milestones Resume, LinkedIn Profile, Elevator Pitch, Professional Bio Optional Hub Activities Resume, LinkedIn & Elevator Pitch Review, Project Showcase (optional) Tech Tools for the week Canva, Google Slides, Google Docs, LinkedIn Daily 3 Reflection & Commitment Elevator Pitch Professional Bio Exploring Tech Tracks Resume Writing LinkedIn Profiles Interview Skills Personal Brand & Bio Career Skills
- 20. Some Tools Learners Get to Use
- 22. Learners dedicate an average of 20-30 hours per week to the Professional Foundations Program. 35% IN LMS ~10 hours per week going through engaging online content 45% IN SELF WORK ~13 hours per week working on activities and reflections. 20% IN PEER ENGAGEMENT ~6 hours per week collaborating with peers. FOUNDATIONS LEARNING MODALITY
- 23. COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS To successfully graduate from Professional Foundations, learners must: Submit all 8 milestones by the end of the program Pass all 8 tests with a score of 70% or higher Complete any additional assessments such as surveys, knowledge checks etc.
- 24. The End