More than 300,000 youth will benefit from software development training in the next five years in a programme that aims at curbing unemployment in both urban and rural areas.
According to the chief executive officer of the Power Learn Project, a technology company that is undertaking the project Albert Kimani, the Kenyan youths would be part of the one million youth from Africa who would be empowered through training during the period.
Speaking at Matibabu College in Ukwala town, Siaya County during the launch of the programme, Kimani said that the youths would be trained on web development and how to use the modern communication tools to create self-employment.
He said that they were targeting 1,000 youths from western Kenya region benefit from the scholarship and take up the course that would last 16 weeks.
“After the training, we expect the youths will be able to exploit the many opportunities that are available online,” said Kimani adding that his organization would offer internships to the beneficiaries to sharpen their skills.
Kimani said that the beneficiaries of the programme would undergo online training, adding that PLP has partnered with mobile telecommunication providers who would provide free data to the students.
“The training will be conducted virtually in collaboration with mobile phone service providers who shall offer free data for the learners to attend online lessons,” he said adding that the only requirement for the learners was access to a computer.
Power Learn Project curriculum designer Robert Wekesa said that they are targeting to capitalize on specific practical skills that were scarce in the job market.
Wekesa said that the current job market was full of people with no skills who, when tasked to develop even a simple application, could not.
“Currently, we have graduates with beautiful papers who cannot develop a simple application,” he lamented adding that it was the expectation of the programme that at the end of the 16 week training, the beneficiaries would be able to develop applications and use them to solve various challenges in the society.
“We want to see African youths coming up with applications that rival Facebook, twitter and Tik Toks,” he said adding that this could be achieved if the African continent could invest appropriately on its youth.
By Philip Onyango
