Have you ever considered how technology can help your career growth as an artisan?
We now have a reasonable base in Nigeria for the significant use of technology. Nigeria has a high mobile penetration rate, with more than 60% of adults owning a smartphone. Through the use of social media, we can now see how much of a marketplace the internet has evolved into, particularly after COVID-19. Regardless of size or capacity, most businesses now have some form of social media presence. This kind of technology has created an ease of doing business and has allowed companies and entrepreneurs maintain direct contact with their customers from the comfort of their own homes.
Workers such as technicians and artisans can also take advantage of technology to market their skills and services as well as extend their customer base. There are several software applications that can assist in doing this, generally known as “handyman/artisan apps or platforms”. In Nigeria, there are several notable ones:
Some examples of the artisans and technicians required on these apps or sites are; plumbers, hairdressers, HVAC technicians, electricians, masons, tilers, painters, carpenters, etc. They are usually required to do jobs such as installations, repairs and maintenance. Customers are typically able to contact artisans of these various trades to request their services.
Gone are the days when you had to get unverifiable technicians into your home to fix a fault. The owners of these platforms make money by connecting customers with artisans who can provide them with immediate services. They also ensure that these artists' credentials have been validated and that they have passed a background check before onboarding them onto their platform. They accept payments on their behalf and provide a guarantee for transaction risks. They are also compensated with a part of the service cost paid by the customer. Many of these business owners go to great lengths to train their artisans to be certain of their professionalism.
The artisan stands to benefit greatly from the development of these apps. These apps are designed in such a way that they only alert a handyman who is close to the customer's location, saving the artisan money on transportation. Artisans are also able to supplement their income as they are still able to accept jobs from other customers outside of the platform.
Etiwa Tech devotes a significant amount of time and resources to the training and development of artisans and unemployed youths. As a non-profit organisation, Etiwa Tech has partnered with several of these handyman/artisan apps to engage and on-board our trained graduates. We ensure that we don’t just train but also assist our graduates in finding and securing jobs.
