The American Corner, Ibadan, in partnership with the Social Media Manager Circle (SMMC), has trained young people in artificial intelligence (AI), content creation and social media management to equip them with digital skills for employment, entrepreneurship and income generation.
The five-day free bootcamp, organised in collaboration with the Initiative for Information Arts and Culture Development in Nigeria, exposed about 55 participants to practical approaches to content development, digital communication, audience engagement, social media management and AI-powered video production.
The Director of American Corner Ibadan, Karamat Ajala, said the programme was organised in response to the growing influence of AI across different sectors and the need to prepare young people for emerging opportunities in the digital economy.
Ajala, who also directs the Initiative for Information Arts and Culture Development in Nigeria, said content creation went beyond producing and publishing materials, noting that effective communication required strategic planning and the application of AI tools.
She explained that the training was designed for both beginners and individuals seeking to improve their existing social media management and content creation skills.
According to her, the curriculum covered social media management fundamentals, audience engagement, strategies for increasing visibility and views, content development and monetisation.
She added that the skills acquired could enable participants to work as content creators, virtual assistants and social media managers for individuals, businesses, organisations and public institutions.
Ajala cited the experience of a previous beneficiary who had leveraged skills acquired from an earlier training programme to secure a social media management role with a political organisation, describing it as evidence of the employment opportunities available in the digital sector.
She urged participants to remain committed to continuous learning and adapt to technological changes to remain relevant.
“The world is not waiting on anybody. It needs us to evolve as the world, as society and as technology are evolving. They need to also evolve,” she said.
Similarly, one of the co-founders of SMMC, Wisdom Saviour, said the initiative was aimed at introducing young people to AI and connecting its applications with social media management, which he described as an emerging area of marketing in Nigeria.
Saviour said the partnership with American Corner had enabled the organisers to provide the training entirely free of charge.
He urged participants to see the programme as a starting point for further learning, noting that the rapid pace of technological advancement required continuous skills development.
The Programme Director of SMMC, Adetoun Raji-Kolade, said the bootcamp was the organisation’s eighth edition, with the fourth held in Ibadan.
She explained that the group had also organised similar programmes in Lagos and Abeokuta, adding that its partnerships with American Corner and American Window had helped expand access to digital skills training.
Raji-Kolade disclosed that she was herself a beneficiary of the programme in 2022 while serving as a corps member in Ibadan, an experience that opened professional opportunities for her and eventually led to her involvement in organising subsequent editions.
She said SMMC was committed to helping aspiring professionals enter the marketing and communications industry while equipping existing practitioners to improve their skills.
According to her, the organisation’s activities are guided by three Sustainable Development Goals: decent work, gender equality and economic growth.
She urged participants to apply their newly acquired skills to secure decent employment, build careers and contribute to economic development, irrespective of gender.
“Don’t let it end here. Make sure that you take everything we have taught you and use it to become a better person. And don’t forget to pass it forward when you become a professional,” she advised.
Some participants also expressed satisfaction with the training, saying it had improved their understanding of digital communication and provided practical skills they could deploy in their businesses and professional activities.
The founder of Eco Wambe, a cultural and sustainability organisation, Zainab Olayiwola, said the programme had changed her understanding of social media management, which she previously regarded largely as posting content.
She explained that her organisation uses culture, social gatherings and community engagement to promote environmental sustainability, adding that the knowledge acquired would help expand its visibility and reach.
An electrical and electronic engineering graduate, Emmanuel Oyewale, who is also involved in solar and electrical installations, CCTV, video editing and social media management, said the training had improved his understanding of strategies for achieving better results online.
Oyewale identified AI video production as his major takeaway, saying he had acquired the ability to create quality videos using artificial intelligence.
