The Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Information Communication and Technology Joe Mucheru has challenge the youth to embrace online jobs. Mr Mucheru said the government is targeting to enable one million Kenyan youths access on line jobs over the next one year.
He said the digital revolution is taking place across the world and Kenyan youth have massive opportunity to take advantage of it. The CS was addressing 150 youths on Wednesday at the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) leadership Centre in Nairobi during the official launch of the “Ajira Digital Programme” (ADP) and also call upon the youth to register for online jobs.
He said the ADP seeks to introduce Kenyans to online work by providing the tools of trade, training and mentorship which is needed for young people to work and earn an income. Mr Mucheru said that the programme was in line with the government’s promise to create more jobs and a response to a globally growing market for online work. “At the moment, there are over 40, 000 Kenyans already engaged in online work, ranking Kenya as the 10th biggest global supplier of online workers and the first in Africa.” said the CS.
Mr Mucheru said the Ministry would launch constituency innovation hubs across the country to ensure the youth are able to register on the Ajira Portal.
“The hubs will be located at CDF facilities in all constituencies and will have 24-hour free internet access allowing people to register, download and upload work.
Speaking at the same event, the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Youth and Gender Affairs Sicily Kariuki said that her Ministry would facilitate provision of working spaces, skills and tools. “We will finance acquisition of digital gadgets through affirmative funds, avail Youth Empowerment Centers for ICT equipment upgrades and empower them by positioning youth officers in every constituency to be the unlimited sources of information on online work,” said Mrs Kariuki.
The roll-out of the programme began on Wednesday at the KCB leadership Centre in Nairobi with a two-day training cum sensitization of the first batch of over 150 youth officers out of the target 350 drawn from all the 47 counties. The final batch of youth officers would be at the centre next week to conclude the sensitization phase at that level.
The Ajira Digital Programme will be implemented under a partnership framework for the co-ordination of youth employment and training initiatives. The Youth Sector Working Group draws membership from Government Ministries including the Ministry of ICT, Education, Public service, Youth and Gender Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as Development partners, Private Sector and Civil Society.
[crp]
