A group of 12 individuals in Rwanda have been awarded with the International Software Testing Qualifications Board Certified Tester Foundation Level (ISTQB® CTFL) certificates, one of the key credentials in software testing. These are beneficiaries of an ISTQB CTFL training program launched by the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and the International Software Quality Institute (iSQI) GmbH, in Kigali – Rwanda from March 9 to 12 this year. Provided under the Beaming Knowledge in Africa initiative, the program gave hands-on training to 21 young professionals on the practical applications of software testing, covering areas ranging from agile testing to risk-based testing and security testing. The course consisted of six modules, namely: Fundamentals of Software Testing, Testing throughout the software lifecycle, static techniques, test design techniques, test management, and tool support for testing. The certificates were awarded to the 12 individuals who successfully passed the globally standardized certification exam. “The main purpose of these trainings is to empower young professionals in Rwanda and Africa with the necessary skills and tools to compete in the global job market,” said Stephan Goericke, iSQI Group CEO. According to the President of AIMS Rwanda, Prof. Sam Yala, it is essential to have skills that are certified. “With this kind of certification, our students here in Rwanda are at the same level as any other student anywhere in the world because they have the same qualification. This is very important for industries in Africa to acquire local people who are well trained and certified in such specific skills in the IT world,” he said. Isaac Hitimana – one of the ISTQB CTFL trainees believes that the certification will boost his chances for getting employment opportunities, due to the tangible I.T skills he gained. The International Software Quality Institute (iSQI) Group, with offices in Potsdam (Germany), Amsterdam (The Netherlands), London (UK) and Boston (USA), is a leading provider of certification examinations all over the world. For 15 years, iSQI has played a significant role in certifying the know-how of IT professionals in over 100 countries on 6 continents in 10 languages. With over 30,000 certifications per year, iSQI paves the way for successful career development. Moreover, iSQI assembles professionals by regularly hosting international conferences. These platforms for experts from the industry and academia foster experience exchanges and business development as well as advancements towards software quality engineering as a matured discipline.