Taita Taveta County's Education, Libraries, and Vocational Training Centers (VTCs) department has partnered with the Ajira Digital Program to advance digital literacy in vocational centres.
The partnership is set to help narrow the digital gap and equip young individuals with vital digital skills.
Education, Libraries and VTCs CEC Gloria Monikombo on Thursday said the program will include comprehensive digital training for vocational centre instructors and managers in the county.
“Participants will explore the essentials of online work, digital marketing, and e-commerce. The training is geared towards equipping the youth with tools to thrive in today's digital economy,” Monikombo said.
The digital skills, Monikombo said, are key to bolstering course enrollment in vocational training centres, thus paving the way for income generation among digitally adept youths.
She further urged the youth to embrace the VTCs-led digital programme, pointing out that it is unlocking employment opportunities among the unemployed youths.
The executive underscored the pivotal role of community engagement in disseminating information about digital opportunities.
“The department is committed to empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills essential for success in the digital sphere. We encourage young people to tap into a pool of digital opportunities,” she added.
VTCs county director Raphael Chola asked the Ajira Digital Program team to extend the training to all 31 vocational centers scattered across the county.
He said the expansion of the programme would transform the centres into digital hubs, thus serving as valuable resources for the wider community.
“The bigger aim is to transform the VTCs to digital hubs and help the community access digital skills,” Chola said.
He encouraged youths to capitalize on the rapid digitization of government services to make more money.
By accessing online work and e-commerce training, Chola said, youths are poised to tap into new opportunities and propel socio-economic development within their communities.
The Ajira digital program seeks to position Kenya as a choice labour destination for multinational companies as well as encourage local companies and the public sector to create digital work.
The national government programme further seeks to raise the profile of digital work through mentorship and a collaborative learning approach to finding digital work and promote Kenya as a destination for online workers.
