The work environment is gradually changing, with focus shifting from education-based hiring to skills-based. They say education is the key to success, but in a real sense, it is not the only key.
Continuous learning, in or out of class, will get you the job of your dreams but your skills are what will keep you there.
In response to this new shift, the education landscape is quickly adapting and the focus is on the provision of education aimed at promoting skills development.
At the very basics of education, primary schools have adopted the Competency-Based Curriculum which presents an opportunity for skills development from the formative years of a child.
Skills-based education is a pedagogy whose objective is to build the skills of students who have acquired knowledge in class and encourage them to practice the same concepts to strengthen the learning process.
It is a great thing to see that this shift is being embraced in Kenya at all levels because the truth is that the returns it gives reflect the effort put in.
Young people are constantly in search of new ways to make money and improve their lives. Harsh economic times mean that resources to invest in going back to school to rise up the career ladder are limited.
Demand for education and matching skill set is continually on an upward trajectory which calls for alternative means of gaining essential knowledge and education.
As such, there is an alternative provided in the numerous skills-based learning opportunities available online.
I was introduced to an online and web application platform called Trace academia recently.
It provides free learning which has proven to be instrumental in providing the essential skills focusing on on-demand and market-relevant opportunities.
An application like that is among such applications that offer free courses and present an opportunity for youths to progress and gain necessary skills for development at their own time and pace.
Unemployment in our country has been a stumbling block to many dreams being achieved, a situation that you would all recognise was made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic which caused an economic downturn.
However, with the emergence of training and education platforms, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Single-employment options are soon becoming a thing of the past. The gig economy is rising and the youth are quick to embrace the opportunities it presents.
In layman’s terms, you can become a banker by day and a DJ by night by learning the skills on the Trace Academia app.
The need to focus on one field of specialisation is no longer paramount and youth can now earn from many avenues almost effortlessly.
This aligns with the efforts made by the government in urging youths to embrace online jobs as a means of earning a living.
Platforms such as Trace Academia and Ajira Digital, which the government advocates for, provide the necessary training to ensure the skills needed in handling the jobs are made available.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha recently urged those who had just completed their high school to embrace technical institutions as they provide skills-based education.
This shows the cultural shift and the value in this type of education, being accessible and able to be done quickly; there is a rallying call that these are embraced.
Unemployment would be a thing of the past; this is also important to university students since they can learn different skills even as they undertake their undergraduate education and start being self-dependent.
The shift is evident, and with the help of such online platforms, it is only prudent that these opportunities are embraced fully.
Skill-based learning is proving to be a masterstroke which is why the shift is becoming even more gradual; this is exemplified in the government's push for the CBC.
Opening up opportunities in different fields is crucial in combating unemployment. Similarly, it widens one's scope for future employment while playing a crucial role in making one an all-rounded individual.
Founder and managing editor at Viral Tea Ke
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
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