State expands digital space to create jobs for youth

ICT Principal Secretary John Tanui addresses a past function. [File, Standard] More than two million smartphones have been assembled in the country as the government seeks to leverage on technology to create job opportunities. Speaking during the launch of Jitume Digital hubs in Uasin Gishu county, ICT Principal Secretary John Tanui emphasized the importance of positioning Kenya on the global technological landscape to remain competitive. Eng Tanui said local assembly of smartphones is aimed at ensuring access to cheaper digital devices and Safaricom was among the biggest producers. The PS encouraged other digital technology manufacturers to set up plants in the country, to increase production and lower the cost of devices. His remarks came in the wake of reports that the digital devices were still expensive for majority of Kenyans. "Safaricom and other technology companies have hitherto produced two million locally assembled smart phones," he said. The PS announced that the ministry is collaborating with the private sector to establish 1,450 digital hubs countrywide. The project includes the launch of digital hubs at Kipkabus and the Rift Valley Technical Training Institute, designed to unlock new opportunities in the digital economy for youth. The government has so far established 274 digital hubs aimed at equipping youth with vital skills for the digital job market. INUA AI CEO Humphery Muchuma, lauded the ministry's for supporting the private sector to enhance job creation in the country. Leaders at the event urged the youth to take advantage of available opportunity to align themselves with the technological trends. Already, youth are earning good money from digital jobs including website designs, transcription content creation and foreign exchange trading among others, with government centres offering them working spaces and internet. Tanui said to expand digital opportunities, laying of 100km of fibre optic cables was ongoing as the government seeks to connect all wards to faster internet. He said more than 250 digital centres had been established to help youth tap into digital jobs. "Digital centres established by NG-CDF will benefit from internet connection and are set to be equipped with devices, mainly computers. We visited one of the TVETs and one trainee is already turning his digital job into a business," Tanui said. "In the digital space, the young people are now registering their companies to develop websites, software and other services. Currently, we have more digital than physical products. There are several products in the creative world," he added. The PS noted that social media platforms such as Facebook has enabled creatives to earn more money. The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation chairman John Kiarie, said there is a need to digitize African data. Kiarie said the Jitume lab can become a data collection, collation and organizing centre. "Today, many young people have no ability to fact-check and it is prudent that the digital space is sanitized," the Dagoretti South MP said. He urged TVETs to onboard technical training in areas such as agriculture, health, and electrical onto digital technology. Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkong'a asked the Ministry of ICT to supply more computers to digital hubs to encourage more youth to venture into online opportunities. "A number of Kenyan youth are already getting paid in dollars and digital jobs should not be ignored," he said. Youth told the ministry during a town hall meeting in Eldoret on Friday evening that they were not sensitized on available digital job opportunities. PS Tanui said sensitization will be taken to the ward level. Youth were further asked to learn foreign languages to increase their chances of working for foreign companies, from the comfort of their homes. "The trends have changed and employers are no longer looking for diploma or degree certificates and are instead searching for talents and skills," the PS said.

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