This archive report was first published on 29 November 2019.
Self-Taught Professionals Thrive in the Digital Age ¶
With the internet at their fingertips, a new generation of young professionals is taking the world by storm, thanks to online tutorials that have enabled them to acquire skills and build impressive careers.
From javelinists to chefs, software engineers to musicians, these self-taught individuals are competing favourably with their colleagues who have undergone formal training.
One such example is Kenyan javelinist Julius Yego, who became the first Kenyan to win a World Championships gold medal in a field event after teaching himself how to throw the javelin by watching YouTube videos.
Another notable example is Mahila Mohammed, a self-taught Kenyan chef who became the first African woman to win an international cooking award after cooking for 75 hours inside the Kenya Bay Beach Hotel kitchen in Mombasa.
But they are not alone. There are many others who have leveraged online tutorials to build successful careers, including Gidraf Orenjaa Mtange, a 24-year-old software engineer who created a Learning Management App (LMA) and built an app that reminds Matatu passengers to collect their balance before the end of their ride.
Mathias Kavuttih, a 32-year-old translator and guitarist, is another example of someone who has used online tutorials to hone his skills. He developed an interest in music while he was a child and got the motivation to pursue music from his father who was also a self-taught guitarist.
These individuals, and many others like them, are a testament to the power of online tutorials in enabling people to acquire skills and build successful careers.
As Gidraf Orenjaa Mtange puts it, “Brilliance is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not.”
Published on November 29, 2019.
