“This is an exciting period for me professionally,” Valerie Ebuwa smiles, brimming with excitement about performing in the hotly anticipated Marina Abramović residency at the Royal Academy this autumn. “But one day I would like to use my experience to help support other artists.” 

Ebuwa is one of many women working today who feel that upskilling is important and, with a recent study finding that 63% of women won’t apply for a job because they feel they don’t have the right skills, it’s clear that more needs to be done.

This is why we’ve joined forces with Google to create The Big Upskill, a campaign designed to empower more women to seek development through Google Career Certificates – a range of flexible online training courses across a variety of high-growth industries. 

Ebuwa spoke to us about why studying for a Google Career Certificate in Data Analytics is going to help her pivot into a new sector, and why this journey is so important as a Black artist…

“I started dancing very late. Being the child of Nigerian parents – who can find it hard to understand why their offspring doesn’t want to be a doctor or a lawyer – I knew I had to wait until I was old enough to make the decision for myself. 

At 18 I completed a BTEC in dance, before going to London Contemporary Dance School. This is where I first became aware that I was in a minority – I was one of four Black people on the course and, to be honest, I didn’t have the best experience because of it.

After graduating I really put myself out there. I joined dance companies and started work on music videos. Suddenly, I was travelling all over the world, working for the likes of Solange, FKA twigs and Jamie xx.

However, despite this success, I’m still booked for jobs where I’m usually one of a few dark-skinned Black women on set. I often arrive only to find there isn’t the right kit or equipment in my skin tone. Or there’s no make-up technician familiar with afro or textured hair.

It’s this lived experience that got me thinking about the lack of support out there for Black artists. Even something as basic as raising a grievance procedure against an employer is seen as taboo. This fuelled my desire to effect change. It was simply a case of knowing where to start.”

“Learning how to study data had actually been at the back of my mind for a while, as I know good research helps inform good policy. However, I felt I had no real entry point. The world of digital upskilling is a far cry from the day-to-day life of a professional dancer.

It was only when I searched online and came across Google’s Career Certificate in Data Analytics that I started to get excited. These courses offer women like me the chance to learn really useful digital skills that will later help me pivot into a new career.

People don’t immediately see any similarities between dance and data analysis but for me, numbers tell a story, much like dance. They say, algorithm, I say, choreography. For me, they’re one and the same.

While I’m still very busy, this course has allowed me to study and complete modules in my own time, with deadlines that I can work around rehearsals and performances.

In the nine years I’ve been dancing professionally, I believe that it’s my fearlessness that has got me to this point. Because I always felt like I had to work and try harder as a Black woman, I’ve opened myself up to a whole new world of opportunity, simply because I’m not afraid to try something new.”

“It’s early days but I have a vision, and this Google Career Certificate will play a big part in that. 

It’s in its infancy, but I’m hoping to one day launch a consulting agency that will centre the needs of Black artists, while writing policies to be implemented across the sector to support them. 

I’ve already started piloting a few of my ideas with local dance companies I’m involved with. But my ultimate aim is to work with NPOs (National Portfolio Organisations) who work closely with the Arts Council, to research how we could implement policies – like the ones I want to create – in the long term.

There is an appetite for new, creative ways of developing policy but a lack of representation among policy-makers. I’m on a mission to change that for the next generation of Black artists.

I recognise that I can’t perform forever, but I have a chance to create opportunities for those who come after me to have an easier, more inclusive experience.” 

Offering flexible online training programmes to help more women learn job-ready skills in high-growth, high-demand careers, the Google Career Certificates are ideal for those looking to upskill in their own time. Available via Coursera, as well as via free scholarships through selected partners, simply click here to find the right Google Career Certificate for you.