A global firm has partnered with top high schools in the country in a programme aimed at imparting requisite tech skills to form four leavers.
DirectEd Development is already in partnership with Alliance Boys and Girls High Schools, Maryhill Girls, Kagumo Boys High school and Mang’u High School according to the co-founder and Kenya Lead Dr Moses Kahure.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony of this year’s cohort at Kenyatta University, Dr Kahure divulged that the programme offers students with world-class training in web development, coding skills and Artificial Intelligence for a duration of four months before placing them on an eight month paid internship.
He noted that the firm also provides apprenticeships with global firms in the US and the European countries where beneficiaries earn decent income as they pursue their career courses in Universities.
“We Design Our Training Using Insights From Frontier Scientific Research And State Of The Art Technology Trends. Our Priority Is Ensuring Our Work Is Collaborative and Transparent,” he said.
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Dr Kahure revealed that the programme is designed to accommodate form four leavers for a period of one year, before they are enrolled to higher learning institutions. The learners are trained on the most sought-after skills that give them a competitive edge in the global job market.
He observed that beneficiaries of the programme are able to earn as they learn in universities, thereby easing their economic and financial challenges as well as those of their parents.
“Our aim is to connect high-potential talents with the world’s best education and training so as to fill skill gaps in the global jobs market,” Dr Kahure said.
He challenged youths in the country to be tech-savvy so as to beat joblessness noting that there are numerous unexploited opportunities in digital workspace.
Dr Kahure also called on the Government to put in place proper resources across the country to assist youths and young minds access training so as to be equipped with relevant skills that will help them free from the shackles of unemployment.
“Some of the brightest young minds lack the resources and quality training to seize valuable opportunities in the digital world. For instance, the world and especially Africa has a shortage of software engineers and this is a huge opportunity for our youth,” he averred.
Gift Musila and Dennis Mwangangi who are alumni of Mang’u High School are some of the beneficiaries in the programme. Musila said that he has managed to gain skills in website creation, modification and product development and promotion.
Mwangangi on the other hand said that besides getting better pay, the programme has helped him broaden his network. He noted that he has already secured a scholarship with Berlin Scholarship and he’s among the 25 students from across Africa who have benefitted.
Edith Wagura, a parent whose daughter is a beneficiary of the programme hailed it as a transformative one noting that her daughter has been exposed to vital tech skills that are imperative in today’s world.
She noted that skills will complement her Computer Science studies once she enrolls for the course at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) next month.
By Kamau Njoroge
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