OC1: Being an employee (Data Scientist) in a software development company in Nigeria. We recently built our own product that is not popular yet but we have been building apps and softwares for companies in different parts of the world. Secondly, I am also a founder of an IT company that does freelance IT software development and have my bulk sms service platform where people register and send bulk sms.
0C2: How do I demonstrate that I have been recognised for my work outside of my immediate occupation that contributed to the advancement of the sector?
You can demonstrate this by providing evidencE
Evidences I intend to provide: An IT director/IT trainer for a charity organization in the UK. The charity deals with training people on different skills (craft making, beadmaking, providing foodbank) and I am incharge of IT.
I have been recognized through certificate signed by Councillor Donna Ludford ( The Lord Mayor of Manchester on behalf of volunteer centre Manchester UK.)
I have pictures and videos of when I was teaching the children/youths. I didn’t upload the video online and don’t have the link. How do I go about putting the video out as an evidence if you confirm this to be ok.
I am already sure of my Optional criteria 4 (I have many top-tier journal publication and conferences with citation. I am also a journal reviewer).
How is it Innovative? What is the innovation in the digital technology field?
I am afraid that the outsourcing work is not included in a product-led digital technology company, and it may not be eligible for your evidence.
As described by Tech Nation that …
The “digital technology sector” or “product-led digital technology companies” are defined as businesses that provide a proprietary digital technical service/product/platform/hardware as their primary revenue source. The creation of software, processing/storage of data, or the creation/application of technical computing hardware is often a central aspect of their business model.
[This excludes general consultancies, outsourcing and technology-related consultancy groups focused on process/service delivery or solutions/systems architecture. Such firms do not meet the guidelines, particularly those primarily serving large corporate or multinational corporate (MNC) customers.
I don’t see how it is INNOVATIVE under OC1. Can you please elaborate on how you are referring to an innovation?
You need to make sure that those courses are structured programmes as well. If it is, you may upload it by yourself and include the Letter if recommendation and/or certificate to double down your evidence.
Hello @alexnk, thank you for your response. could you please help me explain in details what you mean by structured program. This will help me confirm if I am correct or not. Thank you.
Talking about my innovation. Please, help me check if these innovations satisfy the innovation criteria. I hugely contributed to the building of the system. Here are some of our innovative products
AppRobo.Net
AppRobo is a web application that enables businesses and individuals to convert their websites or HTML scripts into fully functional mobile apps with just a few clicks. The intention is to help businesses obtain more customers by making their services available to customers that would prefer the use of mobile applications at a very low budget.
How it Works
AppRobo has two build methods:
From Existing Website: It just require the website url to be pasted into the Approbo Form, select other customizing options and click on build.
Upload HTML Files (HTML, JS & CSS Support): If you already have a website built using HTML (css & javascript), you can just Compress it into a ZIP file, Click on Upload Website and upload your ZIP file, then customize your app and build.
Features
• It is user-friendly and requires no programming skills.
• App auto-updates to reflect the latest changes on the website.
• Apps do not have external ads, however app owners have the freedom to configure their apps according to their personal preferences.
Web URL https://www.approbo.net
Jamavoice.Com
Jamavoice is a professional text-to-speech converter that allows users to make wonderful voice-overs for videos, audiobooks, tutorials, podcasts, etc. Jamavoice has over 300 voice-over virtual speakers that transform texts into real human voices with just three clicks. It helps business owners save money on audio equipment and freelance voiceover artists.
How it Works
User Types-in or Paste text content as the AI suggests grammatical corrections (if necessary).
The User selects the preferred voice and language from a list of 300+ voices and 52 languages.
The user can as well add sound effects.
Then Click on Preview Voice or Generate Voice Over.
Features
• Jamavoice has 52 Languages and over 300 male, female and children voices available.
• Ability to customize audio with effects like Background Music Mixer, Pitch Control, Tone Control, Censor Control.
• Jamavoice is a cloud-based software and doesn’t need to be installed or downloaded.
Web URL https://www.jamavoice.com
OnePortal
Oneportal is a school management portal developed with the primary goal of providing flexible School management solutions and assisting schools to go digital by bringing all students, parents, teachers, and management on a single platform. Not limiting the functionalities to students and staff profile management, but as well providing a remote learning environment, flexible result compilation system, computer-based test environment, etc.
Features
• E-Learning.
• Online Tests(CBT).
• Result Checking Portal.
• Free Web Hosting & design.
• Customized mobile app.
• Full website, TopLevelDomain & Cpanel access
• Self-Setup(Minimal technical skill required)
Web URL https://www.oneportal.ng
Cloudbooks
CloudBooks is an online digital space that offers you unfettered access to a complete and most secure platform for publishing and distributing all forms of content from textbooks to monographs, journals, and all other related articles that cut across all disciplines and genres. Its platform helps both new and seasoned authors or publishers to produce, import, sell and manage all their content creations while also ensuring easy access to such vital content for all types of users or readers. It also proffers solutions to lecturers-students book distribution and sales without going through the hassles of manual checks, and intellectual property infringement in high institutions.
Features
• Access to published contents (for users) and publishing/distribution network(for authors) in a manner that is easily navigable and secure.
• Provision of User/Purchase feedback.
• Recommendations and insights on all content products.
• Digital management model that works to protect intellectual property from piracy and unauthorized usage.
• Helping Nigerian teaching authors harness the power of mobile digital technology to make it easier and cheaper for publishing their textbooks without worrying about the cost of publishing, printing, and distribution.
Web URL https://www.cloudbooks.ng
I understand that the course of mentorship needs to be organized into different lessons of a series of mentorship courses. You may need to submit the course guideline, lessons, date, approval email/letter, photos, videos, and/or etc.
Evidence of mentorship must be for activity outside the applicant’s organisation or normal course of work duties and excludes mentorship of other commercial organisations as part of a commercial arrangement. Mentorship should be on behalf of a structured programme with selection criteria and is inclusive of non-profit charities and social mentorship programmes. You must be able to demonstrate a consistent track record of mentoring and have received recognition for your personal contribution. Mentoring at a university or a single startup is not sufficient. When mentoring alongside other mentors (for example at a top-tier accelerator) you must have been a senior mentor that may be evidenced through a letter of reference from the programme. Note that simply training a colleague, providing general support or advice, or advising at a company of someone you know is not considered to meet the definition of mentorship.
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Read more at Global Talent Visa | Tech Nation
These lists look like an extensive list of innovations to me. I think you should be able to find a way to demonstrate how innovative it is. You may try to build the best 3 evidence to support your OC1 then, but make sure how it is new to the market or how innovative it is, and especially how were you engaged or contributed to the innovations.
Remember that the assessor will be the person to judge, not me or you.
And do not leave any uncertainty to the judge.
Mentorship should be a structured program in the digital technology sector. This charity doesn’t look like one operating in the digital technology sector.
You cannot build your case on work done as part of consulting or outsourcing as per the guideline.
@May As a recent mentor on these platforms https://mentors.codingcoach.io/ and frontendmentor.io, will a screenshot of my profile on these platforms and maybe a zoom call screenshot while mentoring a newbie be acceptable as optional criteria 2 (Evidence of mentorship outside work)?
When you say recent, how recently have you started mentoring on the platform? Be aware that evidence prepared solely to support the timing of the application is generally unacceptable.
I just joined recently but like few weeks ago before I had interest in this application, if this is going to be an issue, can i use these;
In late 2019, I volunteered as a mentor for a non-profit tech-focused organisation, where we held a programming summit programs at Covenant University in order to impact and up-skill more developers in the university and it’s environs. This program was in form of boot camps, and workshops.
Started a non-profit tech-focused mentorship platform in 2020, with over 30+ people were impacted, we held a bootcamp, and i have screenshot of the slack conversations of this bootcamp.
Can i go with the above rather than the previous due to closeness to application time?
Are these programs structured and do these organisations have a reputation in digital technology with an online presence you can demonstrate in your evidence? If not, you need to prove beyond doubt the credibility of the organisations.
Frankly, they are more like startups, and the other is my own startup, so I don’t think there is a very strong way to prove the credibility of the organizations, initially, I submitted a piece of evidence for mentoring Women in Youth coding SHE CODE AFRICA which I did some 2 years ago, but I was told it is not field advancing… I was confused as this is a platform that really is impacting young women in Nigeria. I don’t have a talk conference or open source evidence
The feedback → And mentoring Women in Youth coding -
while admirable - is not field-advancing.
Thank you for the information. Please, does it mean that a charity organization dealing with IT training and other things that are sponsored by different UK government bodies and I am the head of IT department conducting the training does not satisfy the criteria?
@Yomi_Olaoye From what I see, and based on your previous submission, it appears that you are treating the contribution outside your normal work requirement as a one-off thing.
It should be a sustained activity and you must always show the assessor how you think your evidence satisfies the criteria that you are submitting it against.
So, in my opinion, this is what I would do in your case:
OC2 - I would have two separate documents; one for third-party mentorships, the other for the non-profit tech-focused mentorship platform that you created.
The first document should contain details about codingcoach, frontendmentor, shecodeafrica, Covenant programming summits preferably in chronological order. It is up to you to decide if you want to go latest to oldest or otherwise.
The second would details about your own non-profit tech-based startup. Such details could be registration (if available), posts for the call for the session where the 30+ people benefitted (number of interests could be a metric here as well), pictures, video links, post-session testimonials, and just self-written text piecing the details together.
The former shows that you have sustained leadership qualities while the other shows that you can indeed go far-and-beyond.
@Nacsoft This is what I think. Since you are submitting this work as part of OC2 (I believe), it should work. The trick is to demonstrate your own contribution as solely focused on the digital technology bit of the whole program. Of course, don’t just submit the letter/certificate that you received from the Councillor Donna Ludford (The Lord Mayor of Manchester on behalf of volunteer centre Manchester UK.), you need to add more context.
Since you have 3 pages per evidence, I would include a cover page that explains their work (1), the certificate itself (1) and a page for links, existence, impact of the program, proof of your position as Head of IT (1).
Please see my reply to @Yomi_Olaoye as well for more information.