Bridge Professional Development Centre

About

Bridge Professional Development Centre, training provider in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

How we began

We set out to offer the best training program in soft skills and languages for individuals, adults and children, groups and organisations back in 2015. From a small beginning we have grown in size and capability to offer an ever widening prospectus that is meeting the needs of all those who choose us. We now occupy a wonderful centrally located premises in which is both a location for classes and a hub for learning.
A wide range of learning opportunities

Soft Skills
We offer a range of soft skill courses which are very practical for the 21st century world of work. Some of our popular soft skill courses include: Leadership, Communication, Customer Service and Team Working skills.
Language Courses
Our language courses focus on two areas. We offer Business English courses, face to face or virtually. We also offer Amharic language classes for expats
Intercultural Courses
For expatriates in Addis Ababa, we have excellent courses to foster and enable cultural competence and ease. Our offer includes an Intercultural Course, Introduction to Ethiopian Culture and Amharic for Expatriates.
For Teachers and Educators
Our staff are highly experienced teacher trainers and school leaders. We have a number of courses available which can be tailored to meet the needs of people in your school.
We Meet Your Needs

People have different schedules and different amounts of time available, so our development centre offers different class options – schedule, size, location and duration - that will give you the fullest flexibility, where you need it.
Things You Should Know About Us!
We,
- provide the best training in soft skills and languages for individuals, groups and organisations in Addis Ababa
- are located in a superb easily accessible area, and provide professional learning facilities and resources.
- work with only the best professionals dedicated to provide a world class learning and development interventions.
- have a welcoming, warm atmosphere.
Be Part
Of Our
Story

Our Amazing Team

Our dedicated personnel always ready to give you their best.

Abayneh Haile

Director

I am the founder and director of Bridge Professional Development Centre. I am passionate about learning and development. I have MA in Education from University of Leeds. I have practical experience in training, coaching, and consulting not only in Ethiopia but in various countries. I have a lot of experience delivering short term training in more than ten countries in sub-Saharan Africa. At Bridge, I get the opportunity to encourage, empower and impact a variety of professionals from different walks of life in the area of soft skills.

I have worked for British Council for more than a decade as Programme Manger, Consultant, Regional Master Trainer and Technical Lead for education programmes. I have also done short term consultancy work for Transform ELT, Malala Fund, GIZ, GoInnovation, Teach For Ethiopia, and Cambridge Education.

I have delivered short term training and training of trainers not only in Ethiopia but also in Nigeria, Senegal, Djibouti, South Africa, Cameroon, Zambia, Tunisia, Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea and Bangladesh. I have practical experience of facilitating a range of workshops and I have a lot of experience presenting and chairing at local and international conferences.

I also validated and coached trainers in my capacity as Master Trainer for British Council Connecting Classrooms project which focuses on school leadership. My purpose in life is to help people unpack their potential that is why I enjoy teaching, training and coaching. I am passionate about learning and development!

Wondwossen G. Teklemichael

Leadership Trainer

I am a multicultural and multilingual, certified international leadership professional. I have over twenty years of experience in culturally diverse environments. I have experience in strategic and operational leadership, in non for-profit, for-profit as well as government sectors. Additionally, I am an expert in international school administration. I work as a trainer in leadership (team building, organizational culture, emotional intelligence, strategic planning, feedback etc.). I also have experience in board governance, entrepreneurship, communications & public speaking. I hold certifications in International School Business Leadership and Management. I have received training in strategic leadership and other disciplines in various institutions, including Foreign Service Institute (USA), China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Harvard Business School, Association of International Schools of Africa (Kenya) and Principals Training Center in the US. As a Mentor, I am motivated, result oriented, and a team builder with high ethical standards. I am on the Hay Group Inventory of Leadership Style, and I have received high ratings two years in a row, as a Visionary, Coaching, Affiliative and Participatory Leader.

Melkamu Ayalew

Admin and Finance Manager

My name is Melkamu Ayalew. I am a graduate of Ctti College focusing on front office supervision and hotel management. My role at Bridge PDC is Administrative Assistant. In that capacity I work to ensure our customer service levels are the best they can be. I also work on tax and finance matters, as needed.

Biftu Solomon

Technology Lead

My name is Biftu Solomon. I am a graduate of Addis Ababa Science and Technology University with a Bachelor Degree in Software Engineering. At Bridge PDC I manage, design and oversee all our social media activity and ensure the Bridge website is up-to-date and informative for all our users. I design and source content for our newsletters, flyers and posters I also co-facilitate training which I enjoy very much and look forward to every opportunity.

Rev. Dr. Rich Hansen

Leadership Coach

I am a Professional Certified Coach, and hold the second-tier credential (PCC) offered by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). ICF is the worldwide “gold standard” of coaching excellence, with over 58,000 certified coaches in 158 nations. In 2020 I founded the Leadership Coaching Network (LCN). Our mission is to “Empower African leaders as agents of transformation for individuals, organizations and society.” LCN is accredited by ICF’s rigorous standards for coaching training and certification. Since 2020, our “Coaching for Transformation” courses have trained over 400 African leaders in five countries, at a tiny fraction of the cost charged by ICF-certified organizations. In addition to leadership coaching training, I coach executive leaders and teams in schools, organizations, NGO’s, and denominations to gain deeper clarity about their challenges and opportunities, and make significant progress toward achieving their goals. My background is a 40-year career as a Senior Pastor (four US congregations), missionary and theology professor at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology (EGST) in Addis Ababa. My doctorate is from Fuller Theological Seminary, USA. I am excited to be partnering with Bridge as our LCN local contact in Ethiopia. For more information, please visit our website at www.leadercoachingnet.com

Manfred Molomo

Leadership Coach

I am a certified Life and Leadership Coach and a member of International Coaching Federation (ICF) with over a decade experience helping individuals and teams achieve their goals. I'm passionate about empowering my clients to unlock their potential and achieve meaningful results in both their personal and professional lives. I help my clients gain clarity, set realistic goals, and develop actionable plans to overcome obstacles and achieve success. My primary area of expertise is integrating life, leadership and business issues in my coaching approach.

Tsigereda Yemane

Leadership Coach

My name is Tsigereda Yemane. I have been working with the Navigators since 1998 to date under different capacities. I have been involved in leading, training, equipping, mentoring and coaching the second generation of laborers to equip other younger leaders. I have completed the basic and advanced coaching training and practice coaching. I am working to be a certified coach by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) soon. I am a team mobilizer and player. I am dedicated and loyal to what I commit myself to do. I am also part of a team who facilitate Interpersonal skill training workshops. I have a bachelor of Arts in Bible and Theology and a Certificate in counseling skills.

Ramzi Abdurhaman

Soft Skills Trainer

I am dedicated and passionate about education .... always ready to learn and develop professionally myself, and being a learning support for others. I have MA-TEFL from Addis Ababa University and MA-TESOL from Lancaster University, a leader in the field in the UK. I have over thirty years of experience in teaching, training and facilitation. I have been working as a facilitator for the British Council on a wide range of projects. Some prestigious highlights include: ‘CORE SKILLS’, ‘Critical Thinking and Problem Solving’, ‘Communication and Collaboration’, ‘Leadership and Personal Development’, ‘Instructional Leadership’, and ‘Building Team’ among others. My experience also extends into the region, for example, I have also delivered TOT training for Master Trainers in Nigeria and South Sudan.

Salome Dagnachew

Soft Skills Trainer

Salome Dagnachew is General Manager and Founder of Baroque Interiors and Events. She is proficient in interior design and has been in the industry for 11 years. She has a Master of Business Administration Degree from the University of Greenwich and a Diploma from British Interior Design College. She has vast experience in procurement, logistics, administration, event management, and customer service. Over the years, she has done unique projects in Addis Ababa and outside Ethiopia. Among them was the Bole International Airport VIP Terminal, which involved local and foreign expertise. It was a five-year project with collaboration from Ethiopia, Singapore, China, and other European countries. Her other projects include office setup at Afrikadit in South Sudan, Muller Industries, Insurance companies Passenger lounges of Ethiopian Airlines (Cloud 9, Gold Club, and Shebsmiles) at Terminal 2AA, to mention a few. Salome Dagnachew is also proficient in event planning and management. She creates event strategies, develops design and marketing concepts, and provides onsite management and post-event services. One of her exquisite events was welcoming the Prime Minister of Eritrea after she designed the Old Eritrean Embassy. Salome is giving master classes on event management, interior design, workplace etiquette, customer service, teamwork, and leadership. She has delivered the following training so far: - Office etiquette, office care, behaviour, and appearance - Customer Services and - Event management She has also been involved in her community through volunteering at the Aba Gebresseselasse Terado Mahaber and Mathiwos Wundu ye Ethiopia Cancer Society in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as well as the Corpus Christi School in Virginia, United States of America. Currently, she is a member of Lions Club International and the Vice President of the Lions Club Addis Ababa Greater and board member of Feseha Atlaw Wolde Yohannes Endowment.

Kidane Gedefaw

Soft Skills Trainer

I have been passionate about education for a very long time! My qualifications, experience and expertise cover a wide range of roles – as a teacher, trainer and now a validated licensed educational consultant. I have an MA from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. I have also a Post Graduate Certificate in Trainer Development from University of Exeter (College of St. Mark and St. John), UK. Among my many engagements, I have worked with the British Council delivering training to university based curriculum developers on 21st Century Skills and also on the prestigious global Connecting Classrooms programme with touching on some essential enabling skills for today’s knowledge workers – critical thinking and problem solving, digital literacy and leadership development. This depth of experience has placed me well to work now with an ever-increasing range of up-to-date workplace skills for all levels of local and international professional, commercial and public service organisations.

Lynne Upton

Online Trainer

Based in London, Lynne has taught English online to students in London, Ethiopia, Brazil and Turkey and has studied a Teaching English course by Global English. She has a degree in English Language from Durham University. She used to work in Communications before having her three children.

Rob Rawlins

Online Trainer

After working for the church, Rob changed career to English language teaching. He taught in London colleges and started his own school. He retired in 2014 and came to Addis with his wife to start Bridge, this school. He is so pleased to see it continue under Abay's leadership. He likes helping from London by zoom teaching. He also zoom teaches to Brazil and Turkey. He was born in Zambia and lived his first 16 years there.

Ruth Derrick

Online Trainer

Ruth Derrick is the Associate Director of Global Partners for Education. She has a Master’s Degree in English. She has taught a variety of courses at the university level, has taught classes in Asia and Africa, as well as online courses to both children and college students. She sees education as a path to opening doors for students of all ages, and she desires to help others achieve their professional educational goals.

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