More than 400 trainees will receive internships in the public sector through the Presidential DigiTalent Programme.
They will receive a monthly stipend of Sh25,000 for the year-long programme.
The group will be the sixth cohort of the internship programme is run by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.
ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru congratulated the cohort for having qualified.
Speaking during the induction ceremony at the University of Nairobi on Friday, he urged the trainees to make good use of the opportunity.
“As an individual, you have been selected because of your skills. You must remember to do what you were called to do and deliver results," he said.
He urged the young men and women not to be led astray by those who didn't have the privilege of their training opportunities.
“Deal with what you can do today so it can deliver for you tomorrow. Take full advantage of this opportunity, maximise it and the future will take care of itself,” he added.
DigiTalent equips graduates with ICT skills and knowledge to help them transition into the workforce through the public and private sectors.
Trainee Caroline Njanja said she was excited and ready to enter the public sector.
“We had a week-long training on the public and private sectors before this induction and after this, we will be told where our internship stations will be,” she said.
The programme has trainees from across the 47 counties, and all attended the induction.
Paul Ronoh, the acting chief executive officer of the ICT Authority, said the interns will help bridge the digital divide that became evident during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“When schools were closed and people started to learn and work from home during the lockdown, many Kenyans had a hard time for lack of knowledge and equipment," Ronah said.
If technological literacy was available, he said, then work and learning would not have been disrupted.
Ronoh said the country has a great demand for digital skills and the programme will add greatly to the workforce.
“This programme goes hand in hand with the future of our nation in developing critical digital skills to run he 21st Century economy," Ronah said.
"This programme is part of the future."
(Edited by V. Graham)
