Let’s meet Aderinsola Adio-Adepoju, a true champion of education and change. With her passion for empowering the youth and women, she has made a remarkable impact in various roles and organizations. From her work as a Global Program Coordinator at the Museum for the United Nations to her role as a Design Lead at the Natural History Museum of London, Aderinsola’s dedication to creating learning opportunities is unmatched. Through I-Train Africa, she combines her love for education with the power of technology, bringing quality training to Africans. Aderinsola’s story is a testament to the transformative power of education and the incredible impact one person can make. Let’s read more about her.
Tell us about Yourself.
I am Aderinsola Adio-Adepoju (PhD), a youth educator and a Global Opportunities & SDGs Expert. I am many things to many people, but I would say among all these things, at the centre is my biggest title, “EDUCATOR.” Why do I say this? I love to create change through education. In all the roles I have taken, be it as a Global Program Coordinator at the Museum for the United Nations, teaching at the SFS University of Lagos, or creating learning programs as the lead facilitator at I-Train Africa, all I do is curate and facilitate learning that is relevant to the need of the youth and woman in today’s world. As a Design Lead at the Natural History Museum of London in 2023, I facilitated the design process for a global climate change project. As a program coordinator at UN Live, I created guides and trained local facilities across 23+ locations globally to pass on the right message about climate action. So, it doesn’t matter my role or job title; if I am not creating learning, I am facilitating it.
What does your business do, and how did it start?
As the name I-Train Africa suggests, WE TRAIN AFRICANS. We are an EdTech organization. It means that we teach people while employing technology as a tool.
What exactly do we teach, and how did it start?
We teach Soft and life skills and some Hard skills that help women, youths, and professionals be employable globally.
Our offers are divided into two major categories:
Beginners offers – Youth and women looking to become employable globally or professionals transitioning careers who are technically beginners. For this category, I-Train Africa has a beginners academy called Skilled For Work Academy, where we teach them first soft and life skills they need to be employable in today’s workforce before they go into stage two of the academy, where they learn one or more hard skill that can help them do emerging jobs that are globally in demand.
Advanced/Experience offers – For professionals, startup founders, or thought leaders with some form of experience who need to showcase that experience to attract global opportunities. We teach them how to build profiles on platforms like LinkedIn that position them in front of the right people and decision-makers to attract/access the global opportunities they deserve. I have used this to attract 35 plus global opportunities and helped over 650+ professionals across four continents use my unique PPP framework to attain international visibility.
How did it start?
It’s from a pain point.
I was at the university doing my PhD. I needed to secure a grant for split-site research in the UK. I spent one year plus doing trial and error in the application process because no one was offering accessible, structured knowledge from their experience on how to apply for such things. Some lecturers could assist in reviewing it, but that’s different from their job. It’s a favour to help me review. So, as essential as that soft scholarship or grant application skill is, it was not up for sale. These weren’t taught in school, at least not on this side of the world then. I have been taught the main thing, chemistry, “the hard skill.” I was supposed to magically know how to do the other things to complement my hard skills. The split-site research was a prerequisite, so I had no choice but to keep doing trial and error for one year to secure funding. Then I started to wonder, who is teaching Africans complementary soft and life skills to help them succeed faster? Who is even clarifying what soft or life skills you need to know?
Two major gaps. There are no structured clarity hubs and no soft and life skill schools.
When I finally secured a grant and travelled to the UK, the gap I had seen was more prominent. My first couple of months were hard. Why? The primary research I was supposed to do was already tasking, but the “so-called basic but not so basic”soft and life skills were absent. I had a distinction in environmental chemistry, but that grade only accounted for my academic excellence. If I were to rate myself on soft skills, it would have been a pass.
Compared to colleagues from advanced countries, my seminar slides are nothing to write home about. I was there using PPT crowded slides while others already used Canva presentations to deliver eye-catching research seminars. Even if I knew my research, my packaging and delivery were below average. Moving on to statistical tools, that was another story. Look, the gap was wider with each passing day I spent there.
To worsen it, I was an A-grade PhD student, so everyone expected me to know. There I was crying inside because there was a lot I did not understand. I would research by day and scavenge for all the complimentary skill sets by night. Provided I even knew what I needed. I was so hungry for knowledge I searched far and wide. At that point, I knew I was going to pivot. I saw firsthand how my counterparts worldwide would package very little research work in a gorgeous, eye-catching presentation. I would sit there and ask myself, “Na, small work this guy do o” (This work is minimal). I soon realized that it wasn’t just about hard skills; learning to package the hard skills in dreamy containers was a goal so that you don’t shortchange yourself.
Hence, most of our offers at I-Train Africa are big on CLARITY and FOUNDATIONAL SOFT & LIFE SKILLS needed to thrive in today’s world/workforce.
When I returned to Nigeria at the end of 2018, I was convinced I would build the most significant educational, and social enterprise that meets the needs of learned Africans. I also knew it would be tech-powered and SDG-centric as I had developed much expertise and knowledge around the SDGs at a global innovation lab for the SDGs in Singapore in 2018, an international opportunity I applied to and won after I started upskilling.
How do you solve your customers’ challenges?
There are three significant approaches we take.
CLARITY
BLUEPRINT PROGRAMS
SUPPORT COMMUNITIES
These three approaches are created into digital offers; which brings us to the mode of delivery.
We offer digital knowledge in various forms, such as ebooks, membership communities, online courses, conferences, webinars, coaching programs, and clarity sessions. Back to how we solve the problem and why our 3-way approach. We are huge on clarity at I-Train Africa.
Why?
No matter how fast you race in the wrong direction, you will never arrive at your destination. So, the first thing we ensure we do is to help our ideal audience achieve clarity. Typical offers in this category are ebooks, free community capacity-building workshops, and Q&A sessions.
After our ideal audience has achieved clarity, the second thing to provide is a Blueprint or roadmap training. These are typically transformational programs where you get beyond information. You learn the actual skills needed to transform. These are generally online courses and programs that take weeks to months to deliver. The unique thing about any of our blueprints is that they are NOT Google knowledge. They are experience-based. As the name suggests, the blueprint or a roadmap. This means I have done it before; this is what worked and did not work. Let me show you and hold your hand. The truth is, I have had enough theoretical knowledge in my ten years of research to know that it’s not a preferred approach. So when people ask me, “Dr, do your programs have certification?” I ask them, do you want a paper that says you can do the work and still not get hired or attract the desired opportunities, or do you want the skills that can help you demonstrate to whoever that you are capable of doing the job? If you choose the earlier, then my school isn’t for you. Remember, my goal is SDG 4, leading to SDG 8. This means that education leads to decent work and economic growth. Certificates don’t do jobs; skilled people do.
The third thing we do is offer support communities or programs to ensure people execute. We must ensure our learners execute in a world where we have over-saturation of knowledge. Selling knowledge is important, but what is more important is the impact. Support communities have helped us significantly improve the completion rate of our programs.
Who are your ideal customers?
Beginners, corp members, or fresh graduates who are self-aware about their lack of skills needed in the industry, are willing to get clarity on the next steps and the right combination of skills (soft, life and digital)
Women who are learned and out of a job due to career breaks, lack of in-demand skills or are unable to start a career that they can balance with their home front, looking to acquire skills they can use to work remotely and globally while still catering to the home front on their terms.
Youths across Africa who are literate (Above 15 who can read, write, and communicate in English) looking to acquire workplace skills they can use to work while they are in school or earn a living once they are done.
The above 3 are ideal clients for the Skilled Work Academy by I-Train Africa.
The advanced category ideal audiences are
Professionals with at least two years experience in any field, academics, founders, and thought leaders who aim to build the right brand for global visibility, leading to opportunities. This category employs our Unique PPP framework on the Global Opportunities Program or our coaching service.
Can you describe/outline your typical day?
I wake up, pray, exercise, prepare the kids for school, and then school runs. While at it, I am gisting with Hubby about everything and nothing while he makes funny faces to make our 1-year-old laugh. After that, I go to the hub and check my to-do list. I always have a to-do list on my WhatsApp group for myself or Google Drive. Then, I look at my calendar to see if any meetings are scheduled. Once I have a complete overview of tasks, I prioritize and delegate. Some days, I do a quick meeting with my staff; other days, I jump on a call for a strategy session with my friend Amara Okoli-Tasie, an entrepreneur in the space.
I love jumping on strategy calls with her, as my primary responsibilities at I-Train Africa are strategy, Strategic partnerships, and marketing. Amara and I spend at least 1 hour a day on strategy. Two good heads are better than one. Besides, you can’t do life alone as a visionary entrepreneur. It’s lonely at the top. Once the strategy is done, I get to work and implement it. There is typically a focus time on my calendar when I do the heaviest work. When I am tired, I do routine tasks like checking social media to be sure our image remains intact. I jump on a coaching call in the afternoons if I have a coaching call. If not, I get on Zoom Q&As or Instagram Live, depending on my schedule. In between, I observe my Salats, and towards the day’s end, I pick the kids and head home while I hear the school gist.
What is your favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
My favourite part of being an entrepreneur is creating from nothing—innovating products. My adrenaline rushes at the thought of innovation. I can think of people’s problems, find solutions, and collect money. The Eureka feeling always remains the same.
It’s even more enjoyable when you are an Edtech founder. A knowledge still sitting pretty in my head can be monetized instantly by simply creating an irresistible offer, putting it out there on social media, and boom, money comes in.
I wouldn’t be an entrepreneur if they took creating things out of entrepreneurship. I live and breathe creation/ innovation.
How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?
Hmmm, I’ll say, positively. I chose to be an educator because I love to change adult lives. I also grew up believing teaching offers flexibility for family life. I watched lecturers bring children to the office, etc. But then, in my two years of teaching at the university, I found out that the flexibility wasn’t as I had imagined. So I took the entrepreneurship route to achieve the same purpose. This time, on my terms.
Teaching online offers me the luxury of being anywhere and working. I could sometimes accompany Hubby on an occasion, and I’ll step out into the car to take a clarity call. I could be with my parents sitting with family and taking a quick break to have a Q&A session. I can work from anywhere because it’s my thing, and I dictate how it works.
What would you do differently if you had the chance to start your career over again?
I’ll study up to PhD level, but this time, in innovation, education, and entrepreneurship.
What are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Marketing
Ability to evolve, pivot, and adapt.
People management.
Who has been your greatest inspiration, and what motivates you?
My dad. My dad is my role model. He taught me to be a good human. The values I built my business on are the core values of punctuality and treating people right. Plus, he trained his girls to be warriors. I was a very timid and quiet child. My dad didn’t have it. He put in measures to make sure I evolved. He would say, “Ai le soro ni ibere oriburuku,” meaning your inability to speak up and own the room is the beginning of stupidity. When I was in primary 3, he went to my school and told the teacher to make sure they called me to answer questions so I could learn to speak up. At first, I’d be close to tears just because I did not want to be seen. I would know the answer but would prefer to avoid being noticed. But the teacher kept at it according to my dad’s instructions. Then, I got comfortable answering questions and being the centre of attention.
That is just one incident. My dad’s wisdom is exceptional. Till today, I seek his counsel on business or life matters. One person who knows a lot about my business aside from my hubby is my dad. We gist a lot. His brain is still very sharp even as he ages. He is such a great father. Funnily, he never used the rod on us. But he has a way with words. My dad exemplifies an excellent example of a people person, a kind person, and an upright person. He also took out a lot as children: all parks and beaches, two weeks of leadership training in jss3, were all my dads doing. I tell myself if I could be half the parent he is, I would have done well.
What inspires me is women killing it in all areas of their lives. We can have it all, especially as a woman. Many feel that if a woman is excelling careerwise, she is failing at home. I do not think so. Three women I see doing it and killing it are Ibukun Awosika, Tara Durotoye, and Toyin Sanni. They are married, have children, and are killing it in their careers. That inspires me a lot.
What advice would you give to people who want to become entrepreneurs?
The idea is nothing with execution. Stop romanticizing your concept. Most ideas are innovations, not inventions. When God dropped that idea in your head, 1000 others also received it. It’s those that execute that are the real deal.
I see many young people glorify an idea that has not been tested. I laugh. Get an idea and test it in 6 weeks or less. Fail fast and forward should it not work. Also, tell those with knowledge about it. Let them help you refine it. Nothing is new under the sun.
Advice two: make sure your ideas solve a real and existing problem. People don’t pay you for a product because it has fancy features; they pay for solutions to their problems.
What business-related book has inspired you the most? Or, What is your favourite book?
Ironically, I have a Ph.D. but dislike books.
I am an audiovisual learner. I would rather listen to or watch a concept than buy and read a book. Hence, I have no favourite entrepreneurship book.
If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
GREATEST EDUCATOR OF ALL TIME.
Please share the contact details you wish to be made public.
Contact.
+2348053453099 and itrainafrica@gmail.com
