As the world advances in technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seen thousands of people developing a career in that field. AI, is simply a way of making machines have human stimulations, thus trying to make computers think and reason like human beings. AI is definitely the future. I mean the whole idea of technology is to make work simple, faster and more efficient-who wouldn’t like that?
With all this development, the Ghanaian youth are not being left out, especially females in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) space, which is both encouraging and commendable. One group making sure this is possible is Akademy AI, an Artificial Intelligence academy in Spain which organises cohorts for young people interested in building a career in Data Sciences and Artificial Intelligence.
Considering the number of applicants received per program, getting through is an advantage for every participant. One person who fought her way through as the only African is Wendy Quarshie. The final year student pursuing a course in Actuarial Science with a minor in Computer Science at the University of Ghana, got the opportunity as the only African to participate in the July-September 2019 cohort boot camp. She shared her experience with Ghana Daily.
“I would say growing up, I’ve always had a thing for technology and computers. I was always intrigued about devices and would want to know how they worked and why they worked the way they did and thought of ways they could be improved even if it was not feasible then. The link to the cohort was posted on one of our course lecture platforms and I just decided to give it a try and see. I had just studied Artificial Intelligence the previous semester and I loved it but the semester was so packed, I didn’t have time to actually enjoy the full benefit of the course, and knowing how bootcamps tend to be more practical, I decided to give it a try.”
She further gave details about the boot camp and how it challenged her to discover her journey into becoming an AI Engineer. “Well, I was the only African but not the only female, there were more females than guys in my cohort so it felt totally cool, as the only African, it was amazing because my cohort was made up of people from almost all the continents. I learnt so much about other places, cultures, and people, and tried so many new things. The experience was really worth it. One thing I felt really worried about was the fact that I did not speak Spanish. My classes were taught in English and everyone in my space spoke English but not so much in the towns itself.’
As to whether her expectations were met or not, this is what she had to say. “My expectations were met and exceeded. I actually wrote code for more than 6 hours and the tutors were so amazing, I had some tutors stay overnight to help me catch up and dedicate time to make sure I understood each concept very well. Less theory and more time writing code, it was really worth it.”
Wendy added that, she strongly believes that with an extra push, Ghana and Africa can raise more youth with careers in AI. “All things are possible. I know it will take some time and a lot more effort but we have entered a generation that is pushing for change, and I’m confident that we can and will really make it work for us here in Ghana and Africa has a whole”
Finally, she challenged the youth to talk less, and do more. “There’s never been a more perfect time to start than now. Don’t think you are too young or small to try anything. Take daring steps, apply for more opportunities, and most importantly, talk less and let your code do the talking.”
