Young persons with disabilities have been urged to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the National Online Employment Skills Development Programme, an initiative that bridges the gap between employment and education.
According to Principal Secretary State Department for Labour and Skills Development, Eng. John Tanui, the program mainly targets Deaf youth and youth with visual disabilities.
The program set to be delivered through e-learning will see persons with disabilities trained face-to-face.
Ministry of Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore said the program demonstrates the government’s commitment to empowering the youth with skills aimed at enhancing their economic participation in the country’s economy.
The latest report by the National Council for Persons with Disabilities on disability mainstreaming shows individuals with disabilities 1.4 percent of public service employees are persons with disabilities, revealing a significant gap between the current employment status of individuals with disabilities and the legal requirement of five percent.
Therefore, the CS says joining the programme will enable young persons including those with disabilities to exploit information technology to pursue economic opportunities.
“I hope this programme will inspire many to join the online gig economy as gig workers or freelancers,” said Bore.
The CS said the programme which is an innovative initiative of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, State Department for Labour and Skills Development, in collaboration with the Ajira Digital program driven by the Ministry of Information, Communications, and The Digital Economy is designed to bridge the gap between education and employment.
It is also aimed at equipping young people, especially persons with disabilities with the requisite skills and competencies which is the backbone of today’s evolving job market.
The CS who was speaking virtually during the virtual launch of the National Online Employment Skills Development Programme at the NSSF building said the government is providing individuals with the tools, training, and opportunities they need to succeed.
SOURCE: KNA