NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 11 – Eight universities have been selected by the Strengthening of Kenya’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (SKIES) for a tech training program.
In a statement, SKIES stated that Moi University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Mama Ngina College, and Open University of Kenya are going to benefit from the initiative.
Others are the University of Mombasa, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenyatta University, and Kibabii University.
“This initiative is part of the Kenya Industry and Entrepreneurship Program (KIEP) funded by the World Bank and Implemented with the State Department of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) with the support of the management firm- Spineberg-E4Impact JV,” SKIES said.
According to State Department for Industry Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana, the initiative will play a pivotal role in providing job readiness skills such as cyber security, software engineering, data science, entrepreneurship, and soft skills to the 532 students across the selected universities.
“The objective of the SKIES Rapid Tech Skills program is clear: to implement a Job Readiness Program for 532 students with 267 selected students for phase 1 and equip them with essential rapid tech skills by the 8 universities,” he stated during the grant signing ceremony.
According to SKIES, 267 students from 40 counties have been selected for the first phase of the program, with all their expenses covered, including their tuition fee.
The SKIES initiative commenced with a call for applications that drew responses from 1,167 rapid tech skills students, showcasing a significant demand for such programs.
The PS asserted that the skills that will be pumped to the students will enhance their adaptability in the highly demanding modern job markets and, in turn, mend the gap between traditional education and industry demands.
