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Pan-African programme rolled for youth to upgrade tech skills
Mr John Kamara (left), board chair of Power Learn Project and the project's growth and operations officer, Ms Mumbi Ndung’u during Tech ecosystem cocktail in Nairobi on July 14, 2022.
What you need to know:
- The project targets to offer skills on latest changes in the tech industry.
- The project has also prioritized partnerships with startups across the continent.
Kenyan youth preparing themselves to be hired by global tech giants that have increased investments in the continent by upgrading their skills could benefit from a Pan-African tech training which is offering scholarships of $2,000 for a six-month training.
Already, some youth wanting to upgrade skills have enrolled in Power Learn Project's (PLP) first cohort, setting themselves at a vantage point as global tech giants hunt for talent.
The project targets to offer skills on latest changes in the tech industry, to prepare learners for current needs in the job markets and trigger innovations among developers in the tech industry.
PLP Chairman John Kamara says the project has also prioritized partnerships with startups across the continent, in a move to prepare Africa as a tech hub, as Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are propped to steer the continent’s development.
“The goal is that we partner, we come together and we work as a team. Every project working to achieve a connected, tech-enabled and valuable Africa is what we want. We must not just think about now. Power Learn is just a project that will give you the tool, but it cannot change you. Only you can change yourself,” Mr Kamara said.
PLP officials also noted that with the accelerated tech-related jobs requirement since the onset of Covid-19 that has transformed companies’ business models, the project will prepare learners for current job market requirements.
The Pan-African programme targets to offer skills on latest changes in the tech industry, to prepare learners for current needs in the job markets and trigger innovations.
They said the scholarship would address the financial challenge that many in the continent face to effectively acquire tech skills, due to the high cost.
In Kenya, PLP has already partnered with Media Pal- a local digital advertising platform startup.
“There is a very big competition for engineers and developers in the market currently and they are being picked up by the big companies such as Microsoft and Google and there is a big gap that has been created. This projects allows us to bring in people who are interested in coding and probably tapping into the space to come on board,” said Maurice Juma, Mediapal CEO.
Mr Juma noted that other than creating more job opportunities, the programme would equip youth with problem-solving skills and expand the space for local innovation.
“I decided to switch careers because of the opportunities I see out there and looking at the skills needed in the job market. The programme offers substantial skills even to begin somewhere,” said Robert Owino, one of the learners in the current and also first cohort.
