New Delhi / Johannesburg : upGrad Enterprise, the corporate skilling and workforce transformation division of global edtech major upGrad, has announced a strategic collaboration with JNS Cloud Solutions, a leading cloud and AI transformation company, to drive large-scale AI and cloud skilling initiatives across Africa.
The partnership aims to bridge the growing digital skills gap across African markets by combining upGrad Enterprise’s globally recognized learning programs with JNS Cloud Solutions’ expertise in cloud infrastructure, AI deployment, and enterprise technology integration.
Through the collaboration, upGrad Enterprise will deliver industry-aligned AI and cloud certification programs, while JNS Cloud Solutions will enable real-world deployment environments, cloud labs, and enterprise integration pathways. The initiative is designed to support job readiness, enterprise adoption, and government-aligned digital skilling missions.
Commenting on the collaboration, Nagaraju Gurrala, CEO, JNS Cloud Solutions, said:“Africa’s digital economy is entering a defining decade. Through our collaboration with upGrad, we are building an AI and cloud skilling ecosystem that connects education directly with real-world deployment and employment opportunities. Our vision is to develop industry-ready AI talent within Africa, for Africa.”
Unlike traditional academic programs, the partnership will follow a “Learn – Build – Deploy – Employ” framework, enabling learners to gain certifications while working in real cloud deployment environments. The programs will cater to university graduates, working professionals, enterprise workforce upskilling needs, and public-sector digital transformation initiatives.
Dhruv Mehra, Global Head, upGrad Enterprise, added: “The future of Africa’s technology ecosystem will be shaped by how effectively skills translate into real deployment at scale. Through this collaboration with JNS Cloud Solutions, we are building structured pathways that connect learning directly with enterprise-grade cloud environments, enabling talent to be trained in context and aligned with the region’s evolving digital transformation needs.”
As part of the engagement, JNS Cloud Solutions, a South Africa–based Microsoft Gold Partner and BBBEE Level 1 technology services provider, will serve as upGrad Enterprise’s official reseller and training partner for the Africa region. The collaboration will focus on AI and emerging technology training programs, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, cloud technologies, data engineering and analytics, cybersecurity, and digital transformation.The first phase of rollout will begin in South Africa, with plans to expand across additional African markets in subsequent phases.