The Program is an internship program that develops the ICT talent pool in Kenya through a collaboration between the public and private sectors. The three-year initiative will involve 90 students, as well as funding for the Kenyan government’s Huduma Whitebox Project, which focuses on local start-ups. This initiative is supported by Oracle for Startups. “The collaboration with Oracle will enable us to further empower the Kenyan youth with specialized skills; know-how, and a platform to innovate with world-class solutions while supporting the ongoing transformation of Kenya alongside the Big 4 Agenda. The digital revolution is characterized by the emergence of new digital skills in fields like artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, and mobile robotics. Our youth will have the opportunity with these new skill sets to influence people’s lives in Kenya,” said Dr. Ronoh, the Ag. CEO, The Information Communication Authority. The program began in March 2022, with the first batch of ten students beginning their training. The program is owned by ICTA, in collaboration with Oracle aspires to build a strong local IT talent pool that is ready to join the country’s fast-growing ICT industry. In line with Kenya’s Vision 2030 goal, the program also encourages Kenyan youth to drive innovation. According to David Bunei, Country Leader for Oracle Kenya, the Cloud-led digital transformation is accelerating in Kenya, and in order to equip businesses and government to benefit from the latest digital technologies, we need to ensure we have a strong local talent pool to meet industry demands. Investing in the skills of the youth today is vital for the successful growth of the information technology industry in Kenya. “This program will ensure that students are equipped with the right skills for the fourth industrial revolution. This 12-week in-depth training and information sharing program will focus on emerging and cloud technologies and various personal career mentorship streams”, said Bunei.
