The youth have been encouraged to explore opportunities in the green skills sector and other aspects of climate change which is slowly turning out to be among the major employers globally.
Zetech University Vice Chancellor Prof Njenga Munene said exploring those opportunities could reduce the high rate of joblessness in the country.
Addressing students on career growth at the University’s Mangu Campus yesterday, Prof Munene said areas like solar energy, forestry, environmental conservation, circular economy and which most employers were focusing their investment on, presented several opportunities for job seekers.
“The focus globally has been on climate change and green skills. Most employers have invested heavily on these areas and are now looking for a workforce in this sector. Stop looking for traditional jobs but rather get creative in the green skills sector,” he said.
He said skills in areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste management, water conservation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and environmental protection will be highly sought after.
The VC added that several institutions of higher learning have aligned their curriculum with aspects of climate change, by introducing several academic programmes in this sector.
He cited the University, which he said other than the programmes, they have been instrumental in promoting aspects of climate change through the creation of several innovations that promote environmental sustainability, most of which have received accolades both locally and globally.
Among the innovations, he said; include the Smart Pesticide Deterrent system that protects farms from pests and birds. The technology, he added, utilizes drone technology for real time monitoring and will help in achieving food security and sustainable agricultural practices.
“This innovation has attracted the attention of the Kenya Aviation Authority as a possible solution to the bird’s menace to aero plane engines that cost the county and the world billions of shillings on ruined aircrafts due to sucking birds,” said Prof Munene.
Another innovation is the AirSafi- air-purification project, an Internet of Things innovation that monitors air quality index and provides real time notifications to communities about pollution levels, he added.
“This solution was ranked third best in the Inter-University, Power, and Learn Project Hackathon and will help in promoting environmental sustainability. These inventions demonstrate our institution’s capacity to find solutions that address pressing environmental and social issues,” he said.
This comes even as the government has been vocal in articulating aspects of climate change through several action plans including tree planting and environmental conservation.
By Muoki Charles
