ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru called on Kenyan youth to embrace online jobs, saying the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in online jobs.
While millions of employees around the world have lost their livelihoods due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mucheru is working hard to ensure that millions of employees around the world have lost their livelihoods online in the fields of transcription, digital marketing, virtual assistance, data entry and management, and online writing. He said opportunities for workers have improved significantly.
In a speech read on behalf of the Department’s Executive Secretary Maureen Mbaka at the launch of Egerton University’s Agira Digital Club., Chief Cabinet Secretary He said the government has facilitated access to digital opportunities in the country through the Agira Digital Program.
“Working online is the best way to go. Opportunities in the digital workplace far outweigh the number of digital workers. I strongly encourage young people to enroll in the Ajira Digital Program so they can get online work as alternative employment.
As the world struggles with the socio-economic challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, online worker workspaces remain unaffected as they can safely conduct business and provide services. “The time has come for Kenya’s youth, who make up 75 per cent of the population, to embrace technological change and innovation to facilitate remote work as an alternative employment option,” the CS said.
He said the ministry, in collaboration with parliamentarians, had opened Ajira Youth Empowerment Centers in all constituencies where youth could register and receive training.
Mucheru also revealed that the ministry is partnering with law enforcement agencies to offer online transcription jobs to young people.
“We have piloted online transcription jobs in courts in Mombasa, Kisumu and Nairobi, where over 700 young people are engaged. We offer internship opportunities in government and private sectors to prepare you for entry.
Globally, many countries are investing heavily in online businesses, generating huge revenues in the billions of dollars for their respective economies, which is making our absolute “That’s the goal,” he added.
Ajira Empowerment Center aims to equip young people with skills to secure temporary online jobs such as software development and transcription services in the rapidly evolving global gig economy.
The Ajira program includes hiring mentors to provide training, free internet connectivity and work space through the Constituency Innovation Hub, which is primarily funded by the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF). Offers.
Kenya aims to become Africa’s technology hub, providing employment opportunities to a growing number of skilled and innovative young people, driven by rising internet penetration supported by increased smartphone usage. According to a progress report by the Ministry of ICT and Youth, approximately 320 innovation hubs were established between July 2017 and June 2020.
Mucheru said the rollout of the Ajira Digital Club is aimed at taking place in all high-level educational institutions and aims to reach more youth and expand the footprint of the Ajira Digital program across the country. Ta.
“The Ajira program will instill a spirit and capacity for innovation in our people, creating a more technologically vibrant generation over the next decade or so. This is Kenya’s path to becoming a 21st century ‘Silicon Valley’. I believe that,” he said.
Mbaka said the government would establish more Ajira Digital Clubs in universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institutions (TVETS) across the country to promote mentoring and collaborative learning approaches to finding digital jobs. He said he is working hard to.
CAS said the Ajira Digital Club is a collaboration within various higher education institutions to connect new members to the Ajira Digital Ecosystem, where citizens can access work readiness training, mentoring, and visibility into job opportunities in the gig economy. It asserted that it was intended to function as a formal organization. .
“We aim to equip more Kenyan youth with the skills to earn money in digital and digital-enabled jobs. We are pleased to formally establish and fully operationalize yet another Ajira Digital Club to connect them to online jobs and enable them to earn downstream wages,” said Mbaka.
She added: “Each institution’s Ajira Digital Club has an Ajira Patron and an Ajira Club Champion who can organize a range of club activities tailored to engage all students, learn new skills and , it can open up opportunities to try new fields,” he added. Digital works.”
Professor Isaac Kibwezi, Acting Vice-Chancellor of Egerton University, said Ajira’s work is critical to Kenya’s efforts to create more jobs for young people, especially in universities and TVETS.
Professor Kibwezi said the program, which targets young people both inside and outside the formal education system, is a broader strategy to create an environment for job creation and skills development, and foster entrepreneurship among young people. Ta.
“Our aim was to provide digital workspace opportunities for students and alumni.
The Egerton University Agira Digital Club is run by students, for students, and serves as a forum for additional training, incubation and mentorship to help students access digital and digital-enabled job opportunities.” Professor Kibwezi pointed out.
Written by Anne Mwale
