Coursera’s sixth annual Global Skills Report 2024 states that there are approximately 3.4 million skill gaps worldwide, with many specialised jobs remaining unfilled. This highlights the necessity for educational institutions to prepare learners to meet this demand.
Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda explained that the report, which assesses countries’ proficiency in professional training, was compiled from the organisation’s learning community, which consists of over 148 million learners and 7,000 institutional customers. It also includes content from 325 of the world’s top universities and industry partners.
The Global Skills Report, 2024, ranked African countries based on learners’ performance in business, technology, and data science domains.
According to the report, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) saw the smallest growth (12%), underscoring the urgent need for regional governments to enhance access to learning resources and address barriers to online learning.
In contrast, North American countries experienced a 61% year-over-year growth in Professional Certificate enrollments, with a growing interest in courses such as data analytics, cybersecurity, and project management.
Nigeria was ranked 105th globally but secured the 12th position in SSA, boasting 26% proficiency in business skills, 1% in technology skills, and 1% in data science.
The report emphasised the importance of SSA countries focusing on cultivating a skilled young workforce, given the region’s low number of proficient workers.