•KEPSA director of education, sports, arts, culture and ICT, Mutheu Kasanga, said the Ministry has policy and institutional reforms on future jobs including the national skills development policy.
•Currently, 2.4 million Kenyans are engaged in online work, underscoring the importance of embracing new opportunities and global perspectives.
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Kenya will have to embrace collaboration among academia, government and industry to help the young people become competently equipped for the changing job market.
This is according to experts who spoke during the Future of Work Summit in Nairobi, an event aimed at analyzing the current work landscape and workforce, focusing on how both labour markets and employers can strategically position themselves for future benefits.
From the session it emerged that existing jobs will require upskilling and reskilling to remain relevant in the face of evolving job requirements.
This Summit serves as a pivotal platform at the national level for the formulation of policies aimed at addressing these challenges and preparing the workforce for the future.
The different experts spanning across Kenya Private Sector Alliance, ICT Authority, Digital Transformation Centre, International Labour Organisation and Mastercard said employees should consider the requirements of the future markets like labour that can offer diverse tasks.
ICT and Digital Economy Principal Secretary John Tanui said that there was an emphasis on embracing soft skills as it is what will keep employees relevant in the future of work.
“The most affected facet of the business by this shift is Human Capital calling for change and adaptation by businesses to invest in upskilling and reskilling its workforce,” said Tanui.
Machines are continuously eating into humans’ jobs talents. And it’s not just about jobs that are repetitive and low-skill. Automation, robotics, algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) in recent times have shown they can do equal or sometimes even better work than humans.
With this shift, the PS added that the increased connectivity in the country has opened up new opportunities for remote work, e-commerce, and online learning, which are critical components of the future of work.
“As a government, we are committed to creating such an environment and collaborating with the private sector, academia and other stakeholders to create work opportunities and address the challenges before us,” said Tanui.
KEPSA director education, sports, arts, culture and ICT, Mutheu Kasanga, said that with these shifts the Ministry has policy and institutional reforms on future jobs including the national skills development policy.
The policy was approved by the cabinet on December 13, 2023 that promotes sustainable social economic growth through the development of a skilled workforce that is employable, productive, enterprising, adaptable and competitive.
This policy will be launched next month and has great features focusing on the rapidly changing labour markets. Also, the policy has addressed skills anticipation that helps forecast on labour market's landscape in the future.
“The future of work in Kenya is linked to the digital economy, embracing this shift opens up avenues for young people to access digital job opportunities, and contribute meaningfully to the economic growth of our country.” Mutheu.
KEPSA through the Kenya Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program (K-YEEAP) aims to generate at least five million decent and sustainable jobs, supporting small businesses and startups.
The nature of work continues to evolve, driven by technological advancements and changing workforce demographics, and the country’s economic engine relies on businesses that are adaptable and future- proof.
The concept of reimagined jobs is gaining traction, reflecting the shifting dynamics of the modern workplace.
Currently, 2.4 million Kenyans are engaged in online work, underscoring the importance of embracing new opportunities and global perspectives.