Kenya’s Kajiado Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo, has officially opened the Jitume Digital Hub in Kajiado, marking a significant step towards equipping youth with critical digital skills.
This programme aims to provide young people with the skills and resources they need to find work online and promote opportunities for self-employment.
Establishing 1,450 digital hubs throughout Kenya is a larger government project, including the Jitume Digital Hub. These hubs are anticipated to generate more than a million online jobs, which will substantially affect the nation’s high young unemployment rate.
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Jitume Digital Hub offers Courses and Skills
The program offers a wide range of courses tailored to meet the demands of the modern job market. These include training in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Software Development, Cloud Computing, and Blockchain Technologies. The training aims to prepare students for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, ensuring they have the skills needed for high-demand jobs in the technology sector.
The Jitume initiative is a collaborative effort involving several stakeholders, including Konza Technopolis, the ICT Authority, the TVET Authority, and the Ministries of Education and ICT. These partnerships are crucial for the successful deployment and operation of the hubs across all 47 counties of Kenya. The program also benefits from the support of private sector partners such as Intel and Lish AI Labs.
Jitume Digital Hub Encourages Digital Employment and Literacy
Owalo emphasised during the event the importance of digital skills in the modern economy and the opportunity for young Kenyans to access international online job marketplaces. “We are empowering young people to grab web-based opportunities that global companies are putting online because it is cheaper and more efficient for them,” he stated.
Situated at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres, the digital hubs are designed to offer thorough instruction in various ICT skills. This programme is a component of Kenya’s Digital Master Plan, which aims to improve e-commerce and e-governance nationwide.
The government is expanding internet connectivity to outlying places by installing over 25,000 Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide in addition to the digital hubs. Many opportunities to generate money are anticipated due to this digital acceleration programme, especially for young people.
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The government is implementing several initiatives to speed up the digital transformation, one of which is in Kajiado. Thanks to Owalo’s work and ongoing projects supporting the country’s digital economy, Kenya is positioned as a premier IT hub in Africa. In addition to providing for immediate job needs, the Jitume Digital Hub programme establishes the foundation for sustained economic growth via digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Jitume programme is essential in closing the digital divide and providing the next generation with the skills they need to prosper in a fast-changing digital economy as it picks up steam.