Hundreds of young school leavers are set to benefit as the government embarks on plans for the construction of an Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) hub in Thika, Kiambu County.
The center is set to be built at the Public Works grounds in the town's industrial area, along the Thika-Garissa Road.
Public Works Principal Secretary Joel Arumonyang, while on an assessment tour of the premises accompanied by area MP Alice Ng'ang'a, said the project is a partnership with the State Department for ICT and Parliament to have the centers in every constituency.
“Besides the ICT hubs, we are going to all the counties to support the ongoing government projects including construction of the affordable houses in every constituency. Ours is to give the technical support,” the PS said.
The PS said that the government has eased access to digital opportunities in the country through the Ajira Programme that was piloted in the country by the Ministry of ICT in 2016.
He pointed out that introducing the youth to ICT skills at a young age with a fundamental goal of exposing them to technology and empowering them will create a tech-savvy workforce that will steer the country’s transformation agenda.
“This programme will see us instill the spirit and capabilities of innovation in our citizens, creating a more technologically vibrant generation in the next decade or so. I believe this is the route to a Kenyan ‘Silicon Valley’ of the 21st century,” he said.
Additionally, he said the department will upgrade outdated houses at the Thika Public Works Depot and others elsewhere.
Ms Ng’ang’a maintained that once the ICT project kicks off, there will be job opportunities for hundreds of youths and other residents of Thika, noting that the center will be accommodating between 300 and 500 people.
"I am grateful that my request to get space to build an ICT hub has been granted and now that the funds for the construction are available. The construction works will kick off soon," Ms Ng'ang'a said.
“We also want our youths to be able to cope with the changing technological advancements by exposing them to proper practicals that will give them a competitive edge in the job market.”
