Call for Instructors (and Mentors) for The Port Harcourt School of AI Learning Community
By: Port Harcourt School Of Ai
Tags: Community, Artificial Intelligence, Instructor, Volunteering, Port Harcourt

Hello, community!

We just recently launched our first course in Machine Learning and are looking to launch another practical big data course for beginners soon. In addition to this, we also get calls and requests from organizations that wish to train their workforce for data-literacy and their IT departments on data and AI technologies. This is an exciting time for us, as we look to make Port Harcourt a data-driven city, but in order for us to achieve this, and for the community to be impacted, we need your help.

We are looking for passionate and impact-driven people who are willing to take up data science and machine learning instructor and teaching assistant roles. You will join a network of expert facilitators and experienced instructors in changing the lives of members. People are our greatest assets, and at Port Harcourt School of AI, we are out looking for people who have a passion for our mission and a strong cultural fit. We set out to work with people who are driven by a relentless focus on impact and the strive for change. Even if they lack the particular skill or experience we are looking for, so far they possess the innate drive to learn and a relentless drive to improve, then we believe they can learn on the job.

Join the Port Harcourt School of AI’s instructor workforce today to make a difference in the AI community. Our learning programs are centred around making learning (or education) “cool again”, as well as using the medium of education to make a difference in a person’s life, then a group of persons, then the collective community. The success of our learning programs primarily depend on dedicated instructors and volunteers willing to make a difference in their community. We are all about problem-solving with data and AI technologies, and you get the chance to be a core part of this initiative.

As we grow at the Port Harcourt School of AI, we prioritize the following as the core of our people strategy;

Performance management not by close “micro-managing” (of course, we are a non-profit) but by building effective accountability schemes for volunteers so that the need for impact is what drives their actions and self-motivates them, and not because of management.

Career Development in the area of taking responsibilities and building your little “l” and big “L” leadership capabilities, as well as the functional area through which you try to make impact community-wide.

Succession planning is really one thing we think we are good at. We think not just about the current state of the community, but how the community will be shaped 1, 3, or 5 years from now or even farther. We believe that is truly what decides whether we did a great job leading the organization or not. We use technology tools to make sure that succession isn’t a pain, and we very well try to instil that in each and every volunteer (to always save and document their processes for the next generation).

Benefits of Becoming an Instructor

Access to a professional network, and expert mentorship sessions.

Stipends and allowances as compensation for the role, with an option of full salaries.

First-in-line recommendation for opportunities that come from external partners.

You will be recommended to train partners and for-profit organizations on data and AI technologies, as an income-earning medium.

(CV or) Résumé-bolstering opportunity with a non-profit with new skills and experience added.

Personal and professional development in leadership development sessions in our “volunteer circles monthly” programs.

Access to a professional online learning platform for free.

Opportunity to mentor beginners on their road to proficiency in data and AI technologies.

Learn how to use educational technology tools and platforms to make learning accessible and easier.

Role Overview

The role of an instructor at the Port Harcourt school of AI (PHCSoAI) involves the following;

Curation of course contents on the community’s learning management platform, to be reviewed by industry experts and mentors. In-classroom facilitators for classroom activities such as works on group projects, as well as individual projects. Facilitators for training partners and external organizations on the use of data and AI technologies on their own terms. Senior instructors get to be project leaders on data and AI projects the community is interested in solving or given to the community to solve by enablers. Regular mentorship sessions with community members. Guide learners in acquiring hands-on data science and machine learning experience using Python (NumPy, Pandas, Scipy, Scikit-Learn, Matplotlib, Seaborn, and other packages). Develop an assessment quiz and learning gamification methods for learners on the community’s learning management platform. Diligently respond to students needs and questions during the course schedule (both inside and outside the training room).

Requirements

The major requirement is that you must be passionate about what we are passionate about. Check out our website and our annual report for last year to know our passion. You must possess a relentless focus on impact and the drive to improve the lives of others. You must possess the innate drive to learn and the untiring drive to improve with a focus on life-long learning over the “know-it-all” human. Must have had a relatively fair or good experience with working with data and AI technologies (such as machine learning, any of the data analytics or big data tools) that can be proven either with a course completion certificate/screenshot or Kaggle / Zindi Africa / GitHub repository link(s). Must have their own computer to work with, and can use tools such as Slack for communication. Must live in Port Harcourt or at least somewhere quite close.

Sounds like you are/might be the right fit? Interested in becoming an instructor? Great! Start now by applying here.