With funding of over EUR800,000 from the Orange Group, the center is part of a network of digital centers through which Orange is involved in reducing the digital gap in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Orange Digital Center Romania adds to the portfolio of existing centers that have been opened in other countries within the Orange Group, including Belgium, Poland, Spain, Moldova and France, as well as in Africa and the Middle East. With a total of 21 centres, this is a step forward towards the Group’s goal of reaching 25 centers across its footprint by 2025.
Under the umbrella of the hub are: the Coding School – which brings together programs for the development of digital skills, but also programs with tradition, such as Solidarity FabLab and the SuperCoders digital education competition.
The Orange Digital Center curriculum currently includes 28 free, short and long courses: Google workspace, Graphic & video design, Frontend development programming, Data analytics & Business intelligence, Robotic process automation, eCommerce basics, but also Wood processing, Metal Fabrications, Laser Working, Botanical Design or Vocational Discovery.
At the same time, in order to continue the efforts of social inclusion of people with sensory impairments, two courses dedicated to people with visual impairments, developed with the help of partners AMAIS and the Association for Urban Development, will be supported, with special technology, in the Orange Digital Center.
With a capacity of approximately 2,000 beneficiaries annually, the training programs are open to the general public, but priority will be given to people in difficult situations. For example, teenagers with limited financial means who are preparing for a digital career, young people looking for a job or adults who want a professional conversion.
The activity of the Orange Digital Center takes place at Nod Makerspace, in Bucharest.
“Connectivity is an integral part of our daily lives and digital inclusion is at the heart of the <<Lead the Future>> strategy. As a responsible operator, our commitment is to bridge the digital divide and provide the means by which they need to act and achieve more for everyone who has the desire or motivation. For this, we are building a solid network, our priority in Europe, but just as importantly we are providing easy access and digital training for as many people as possible, regardless of age, social status or level of education. Today we are proud to open the first Orange Digital Center here in Romania, a hub that aims to make digital technology an opportunity for everyone, for first and second chances”, said Elizabeth Tchoungui, Executive Vice President CSR Orange Group.