At least 3,000 youths will receive training on technical skills from Safaricom Foundation over the next two years.
Safaricom has set aside Sh132 million for the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme to go towards establishment of ICT-enabled skills centres across the country.
The programme will focus on entry level training for areas within the construction industry in welding, plumbing and electrical engineering.
Safaricom has selected Waithaka Technical Training Centre in Dagoretti South to pilot the programme before rolling out the project to rest of the country, in partnership with TVET authority and National Industrial Training Authority.
The institute will take up more than Sh50million for student’s fees, modern computer labs, art workshops, organizational skills training and teacher training.
The initiative is part of Safaricom’s roadmap for 2018-2021 that involves promotion of healthcare and wellbeing, equitable education and access to technical skills as well as productive employment.
Research shows only 30 per cent of future jobs will require undergraduate programme skills with majority calling for technical and practical skills. Despite this, the country has a relatively low participation in TVET with most skills gaps being in construction, automotive engineering, ICT carpentry, agribusiness, fashion and design, and skills in oil and gas industry.