Kenyan youths have been challenged to take advantage of the digital space provided by the government in a bid to end unemployment.
Speaking after launching Jitume Digital Lab at Thika Technical and Training Institute in Kiambu County Thursday, Information Communication and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo said the government has provided several platforms across the country that includes the constituency innovation centers and the massive internet connectivity to help the youth acquire ICT skills to earn a living.
Owalo further revealed that 17 functional Jitume Labs have already been established and connected countrywide adding that their target is to equip one million learners with market-ready business and ICT-related courses for free.
He said they will also link the youth to global technological companies for digital jobs.
“These Jitume labs will train youth on digital skills capacity-building programmes. They have been designed to equip TIVETS countrywide with 23,000 virtual desktops. Through this programme, we expect to equip one million learners with market-ready business and ICT related courses for free,” Owalo said.
Ajira Digital program, Business software solutions, is also one of the ICT-related platforms provided by the government to enable the youth to gain digital skills.
According to the CS, the government has already trained 73,000 youth by December last year.
He added that they are at an advanced stage of operationalizing the Kenya Advanced Institute of Technology (KAIST), a specialist SMART University, to provide Masters and Doctorate level training in the Faculties of Mechanical, Electrical, and ICT Engineering.
He at the same time said they are working on establishing digital village smart hubs and studios in each of the country’s 1,450 electoral wards.
The hubs, he said, are designed to support learning, innovation, and entrepreneurship, by offering free working spaces and WIFI, for online jobs by the youth across the country.