Safaricom to Train 10k Technicians in Digital Economy Drive: "This Will Create Employment"

 

Kenyan telecommunications company Safaricom has launched The Connect Academy, a programme that will provide industrial training for fibre optic technicians. Safaricom chief consumer business officer Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi (left) during the launch of The Connect Academy.  The unveiling of the academy was announced on the sidelines of the Connected Africa Summit 2024. It aligns with Safaricom's pledge to invest in strong fibre optic networks in Ethiopia and Kenya and the ICT Authority's plan to build large fibre networks, open Wi-Fi hotspots, and digital village smart hubs. What is The Connect Academy? The Connect Academy is part of the Presidential DigiTalent Programme, a public-private partnership initiative focusing on skill development, ICT innovations, training, certification, and on-the-job coaches.  Safaricom chief consumer business officer Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi said the telco's target was to grow a world-class broadband connectivity talent pool for public and private sectors in partnership with the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA). "This will create employment and a career path for Kenyan youth who lack higher education. We intend to have the first cohort of 200 begin in May. Connect Academy tackles the tech industry's skills gap by training 10,000 fibre optic technicians over a period of five years," Fawzia said. 

by  Japhet Ruto