₦airaland Forum

mrtidier:
Please bootcampers, can anyone help with the location of the boocamp in Lagos? I live outside Lagos and thus, im trying to sort out my accommodation before i reapply. Didnt take my initial homestudy test because of it. Thanks

It is in Yaba

Check out this inspirational story of Andela's first female fellow who is a bad ass programmer and also a huge Nairalander!! Congratulations Jumoke!

http://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2015/05/14/andela-an-african-company-paying-people-to-learn-computer-science
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rather than charging tuition, what would happen if a company flipped higher education on its head and paid people to learn?

"Throughout my life, so much of me thinks of education as a pathway to opportunity," says Jeremy Johnson, an education technology entrepreneur. "But unfortunately, done well it's pretty expensive – [that] is the challenge."

But that's exactly what Johnson did when he co-founded Andela with Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Ian Carnevale and Christina Sass. Based in Africa, the company recruits individuals to train as software developers over the course of four months. The fellows then make a four-year commitment – they're placed to work remotely with a technology company that partners with Andela, and receive continual training and professional development while they live on campus. Most of the companies Andela partners with – such as Microsoft, 2U (the company Johnson co-founded in 2008) and Udacity – are based in the United States.

[READ: Coding Companies Fill a Gap Between Higher Education and the Workforce]

The venture-backed company – which received funding from high-profile individuals such as Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes, AOL co-founder Steve Case and Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks – invests about $10,000 in salary and training costs per student during the training process before the fellows are placed with a company.
Johnson says he was inspired to focus on training individuals in Africa after he visited Nairobi about a year and a half ago​ to speak to industry donors and partners about the state of online education.

"I just became kind of blown away by the incredible under-utilized human capital that I saw everywhere," Johnson says.

Olajumoke Oladimeji, 30, was Andela’s first female fellow.
Olajumoke Oladimeji, 30, was Andela’s first female fellow.
In some African nations – such as South Africa – youth unemployment is higher than 50 percent. In Nigeria, where Andela's main campus is located in the city of Lagos, more than 11 million people between 15 and 34 were unemployed in 2012 – and college graduates accounted for 20 percent of that population, according to an analysis by​ the Brookings Institution. And Johnson says when youth underemployment is taken into account, about 90 percent of young people are considered unemployed or underemployed in some parts of the continent.

"[That] means even the brightest young people just don't have paths into the formal economy," Johnson says.

Olajumoke Oladimeji, 30, graduated from Lagos State University in 2009 with a degree in computer and electronic engineering, but says she was unable to find a job afterward.

She says she set out on her own to start a catering business in her neighborhood before later joining a brokerage​ firm – a job, but not one where she could use her degree.

[ALSO: Making it Count: Computer Science Spreads as Graduation Requirement]

"I had always wanted to be a software developer. I had even applied for a job as a developer and built an app as part of the application process, but I didn't get the position," Oladimeji says. "Nevertheless, I was still determined to be a programmer, so when a friend told me about Andela I saw it as an opportunity to fulfill my dream."

Oladimeji became Andela's first female fellow earlier this year. She's also one of a very select group of people that makes it through Andela's selection process. Johnson says the company has received 14,000 applications in the last 10 months, and has an acceptance rate of less than 1 percent. By comparison, the most selective universities in the United States – Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Princeton and Columbia, for example – all have acceptance rates between 5 percent and 8 percent.

From left, Yetunde Sanni, instructor Nadayar Enegesi, Kosi Anyanwu and other developers attend the Andela all-female boot camp in December 2014.
From left, Yetunde Sanni, instructor Nadayar Enegesi, Kosi Anyanwu and other developers attend the Andela all-female boot camp in December 2014.
"Our plan is to train 100,000 genius-level young people across the continent over the next 10 years, but we're always going to have very selective approaches," Johnson says. "What we care about is being able to train in a really high-quality way. And the reason we're able to do that is because the people that are in the program and the developers that Andela produces are head and shoulders above what you'd expect for a junior developer."

But there's a mix of experience levels and education among the fellows: Some have a college degree in math, engineering or computer science, and some don't. Some – including Oladimeji – have taught themselves basic computer science skills. Some have taken other types of free, online courses, while others just show a strong interest and aptitude for software development, but there's no requirement for any kind of formal training, Johnson says.

[MORE: Tech Companies Work to Combat Computer Science Education Gap]

Even after they're placed with a company – working a standard 40-hour week – the fellows have 15 to 20 additional hours each week of optional professional development courses to strengthen either their technical experience or soft skills.

Moving forward, Johnson says Andela has plans to expand to either Kenya, Ghana or South Africa.

"We're striving for a level of code quality and excellence in what we do that is seldom seen outside of major tech hubs in the developed world," Johnson says. "People are remarkably good at rising or falling to whatever expectations are held for them. And we have high expectations."


http://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2015/05/14/andela-an-african-company-paying-people-to-learn-computer-science

circular:
Is it 50 bootcampers or 50 Andela fellows?

50 bootcampers.

izutex007:
I applied for the class IX.... and as such I am filled with hope.(andela isnt closing until I get in in Jesus Name, amen). We will get there....

We will never close. If anything, doubling in size.

izutex007:
thks, Thts ok...


Is there a fixed number of pple who make it to boot camp?

This class, we are targetting 50.

Icecream4U:
if you have graduated, it's better you go for NYSC first cos Andela fellowship is a four year commitment program.

Yes. much better for you. In the interim you can do Homestudy (curriculum.andela.co/homestudy).. That said we won't reject you but we will delay your promotion until you go to camp and get posted back to Andela and also it might make it slightly harder for you to get in.

kayemjay:
Okay...

So I read all the advice given and I decided that I would just reapply for Class IX. I have done that already and I hope for the best.

Now, my question is:

I still want to go ahead and take the HomeStudy test for Class VIII, not because I want to pass but because I feel it will kinda prepare me for that of Class IX. However my fear is that will that in anyway affect my chances in getting called up for the class IX?

You always reapply to Andela on a clean slate. We know you applied before and we might keep some of your records but it will never affect your chances in the future except we have to blacklist you for doing something silly like cheat or book an interview when you didn't have an invite. (we have had to do so to some candidates)

We believe our best candidates are people who will develop over time so we factor that in.

kayemjay:
It is class VIII oooo. I just know We are supposed to write the test before 12am on Saturday and I just got the mail today at 10am! So it is not really my fault. I have a short time to cover a huge curriculum. Please is it just me that received this mail late or its a general thing?

Please why did you say ooops? Is there something I should know? Help please!

If you read apply.andela.co you would see that we emphasize preparation for homestudy. You have over a month to study for it.

"In anticipation of an invitation to take the Home Study test, we advice that you study and complete the Home Study curriculum. Shortlisted candidates will be notified by May 18th and should have taken their Home Study Test online by May 21st."

We even added 3 more days..

Please read instructions carefully. Again homestudy link is here : http://curriculum.andela.co/homestudy/

Tell a friend to tell a friend

Everyone, just keep in mind for the future that homestudy is an integral part of the Andela Application experience. Here is the link : http://curriculum.andela.co/homestudy/

Bennyzino:
I feel everyone after April there will no more be intakes as all the successful prospective programmers will be inducted into the andela fellowship by june

This is not true. We will recruit Andela Fellows every month for the foreseeable future!

Mrjayman:
Hello Iyinoluwa,
If unsuccessful applicants can show proof of competence in the web technologies Andela clients demand, can they get an automatic invite to the interview or automatic admission into bootcamp, because the current shortlisting process has denied talented programmers like myself, the opportunity to become andela fellows. Thanks and a reply will be appreciated.

Thanks for your question. Fortunately, we are not just looking for people with technical competence. We are also looking for fast learners who are smart, bright, and hardworking and have a strong desire to be world class at what they do. Our advice is to continue to apply, take your time with the test and answer the questions honestly.

electricity:
Hi Iyinoluwa,
I'm sure the Andela Fellowship would be a great experience but how much is the pay?
I'm considering leaving a pretty decent job for a shot at Andela so I'm really concerned about what the pay is during the 3 month internship, after confirmation and how it progresses through the 4 year fellowship.

Some say its 80k during the internship but online, it says $500/month. Now that the exchange rate has spiked, it would be appreciated if the real value of $500 actually reflects in the salary as the cost of living in Lagos skyrockets.

Please clarify the payment at all the stages for those that are going for the bootcamp.

It would be such a waste to find excellent candidates who would turn down an offer after they find out how much the pay is.

Thanks for the question -- fully appreciate the decision you need to make. It's difficult to give a precise answer because this is a HR issue but rest assured you will know when you receive an offer join the fellowship. But to give you some parameters, within a year, developers can earn a salary above the starting salary of international consulting companies or local banks like KPMG, PWC, Access Bank or GTB. According to current projections, developers graduate with ~$5,000 USD in savings at the end of their 4-year Fellowship. Andela also provides other benefits: a robust health care package, residential housing, financial literacy training, and a range of professional development opportunities. There is no other program in this class if what you truly want to do is become a world class developer over the next four years so it is certainly worth it.

Bennyzino:
Please... I need to know the criteria for selection. Is it the problem solving, task management or innovation. If it is whats the safe score to get.

We assess all the scores from all sections of the aptitude test through our proprietary algorithm to find fast learners who are smart, bright, and hardworking with a strong desire and drive to be great software developers and we continue to improve this algorithm using data from the most successful Andela Fellows to find more people like them. You should simply take your time on the test and answer honestly and if you fit our match criteria you will be selected.

Bennyzino:
What is the cut off for the online plum

There is no such thing as a cut off. We assess all the scores from the aptitude test through our proprietary algorithm to find fast learners who are smart, bright, and hardworking with a strong desire and drive to be great software developers and we continue to improve this algorithm using data from the most successful Andela Fellows to find more people like them.

codebrew85:
please, i want to be very clear about this, how many people are eventually selected after the 3months immersion training to become Andela fellows?

You become an Andela fellow when you receive an offer to join the fellowship after our 2 weeks bootcamp. After the 2 weeks bootcamp fellows proceed into the 3 months immersion training after which they will be placed with clients while continuing their training for the next four years after they have joined the fellowship. Most people make it through the 3 months immersion training but occasionally some fellows are dropped because they aren't progressing as quickly as they should. This is a very rare occurrence because we have a very stringent selection process which we continue to improve.

Rorschach:
Also, Andela have done extremely well to pioneer TRUE software engineering education in Nigeria but with around 10 Fellows being admitted from a pool of ~500 applications per Class, it seems the selection process is too stringent. With the backing and financial musculature that Andela boasts, I think they could and should open that door just a bit more, or partner with corporations in the U.S. and elsewhere that would do the same commendable thing they've done here.

Thank you for your question/suggestion. Although it is true we currently accept 6-10 fellows a month and we have a very stringent selection process, it is also important to us that we keep our standards very high. We currently accept every qualified candidate to the program. The more qualified candidates apply, the more we will accept so please if you know anyone who is qualified, tell them to apply to Andela at apply.andela.co

Rorschach:
Does applying on deadline day mean an automatic NO? I did well in the online test (80, 78, 89) but took it very early on the 15th which was the deadline for Class VII applications..could that explain the regret mail I saw earlier today, or were my scores too low?

There is no real way for me to know. But you can always re-apply on apply.andela.co. Deadline day is still pretty far off so you can apply now to make sure you don't you don't apply late.

Icecream4U:
i want to suggest that ANDELA should have accommodation for the two weeks bootcamp cos some applicants stay very far from herbert Macauley and some even stay outside Lagos. i also want to suggest that there be a change in the interview style cos the current style is not it at all. A smart lier who haven't even set his/her eyes on the homestudy page might scale through to the bootcamp jeopardising the chances of great coders. What I'm trying to say is that, if there is an actual test during the interview, you will see a huge increase in performance during bootcamp. This thing has to do with coding talent not lieing talent.

Thank you for the feedback about housing for bootcamp. It is noted.

As for the interview process, we have now introduced a test for the Home Study Curriculum (http://curriculum.andela.co/homestudy/) so we can encourage people who are truly passionate about software development to get started learning how to build software before even applying to Andela.

GabrielShaze:
Hello Iyinoluwa,

Thanks for coming on here to answer questions some of us have had for a while

1. What type of projects are recruits in the boot camp expected to submit after their 2 weeks training?
2. Can someone who didn't make it to becoming an Andela Fellow reapply? (i.e after he/she must have been to the boot camp)
3. Lastly, beyond technical skills, what qualities do you believe a potential programmer (who doesn't just want to write code but solve problems) should possess?

Thanks

Great questions

1. The projects that are submitted during the bootcamp vary a whole lot. Each person submits a project so there is such a wide range. However, the projects that come out of bootcamp will basically require you to use the fundamentals of programming and javascript that you have learnt during the homestudy and bootcamp. If you take the time to prepare well using these resources you will have no problems at all. Check out the homestudy curriculum here (http://curriculum.andela.co/homestudy/) and the bootcamp curriculum here : (http://curriculum.andela.co/bootcamp/)

2.Yes. You are always welcome to reapply to the Andela fellowship. Lots of current fellows have re-applied and made it through. We now recruit every month so its a lot easier to re-apply on apply.andela.co.


3. Beyond technical skills we are looking for smart, bright and hardworking young people who are very passionate about technology and software development. If you are simply trying to get a job or figure out if you like software development, this isn't the best program for you. We want people who have the desire and drive to be world class software developers in four years.

WilBak:
But seriously, what's the criteria or cut-off mark to qualify for the interview stage after taking the online test by plum ? javascript:void(0);

Our aptitude test is a data-driven process that we use to find out who will be a good fit for the Andela fellowship. Our aptitude test helps us find fast learners who are smart, bright, and hardworking young people with a strong desire and drive to be great software developers. We are also looking for potential leaders who are easy to coach and working with and are very strong team players. Our confidential proprietary formula for figuring this our through a test that was created by looking at our most successful fellows and reverse engineering the data to find more people like them. My best advice is to take the application when you are able to focus and take your time so you can give it your best shot. Also don't try to game it. Think about your values and personality and answer the questions honestly.

Hey guys,

My name is Iyinoluwa Aboyeji. I am a co-founder of Andela. I specifically run fellow recruitment at Andela. I realize a lot of people come here to find information about applying to the Andela Fellowship and I love to encourage the amazing peer-learning that happens here. So here is what I would like to propose. If you have any questions you would like to ask me about Andela, ask it here anytime before noon on Monday, 23rd of March, 2015 and I will answer it. If this works out well we might make it a monthly occurrence.

Have a great day and good luck to those who have been invited for interviews and homestudy tests next week. Please make sure you prepare well for those. It is getting really competitive ouchea. For those who didn't get in we serve a God of several chances so head over to apply.andela.co and reapply. Don't forget to also get a headstart by checking out our homestudy program on (http://curriculum.andela.co/homestudy/) Good luck with that as well!

necz:
Please whosoever the management of ANDELA are, the notice period is just 2 short (jst 12 hrs ago u message us 4 interview)!.......Since you know well that people applied outside LAGOS. You jst have 2 reconsider the risk of life we will be willing to take and give more grace.

Thanks

Hi this is Iyin.

I agree. We'll work on that.

Also please do keep applying if we don't accept you. We always appreciate repeat applications especially if the people show improvement. Our recruitment systems also improve so we might have missed you before but we won't miss you again.