Kenyatta University recently signed a MoU with the African Centre for Women Information and Communication Technology (ACWICT) to offer training on digital skills to KU students. ACWICT is a Kenya-based organisation, with a regional reach whose mission is to promote women and youth access to and knowledge of ICTs as tools for sustainable development. The organisation reaches over 25,000 women and youth annually and has trained over 178,000 youth in various ICT skills to date with 70% placed into internships, jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities. ACWICT played a role in developing the national training curriculum and mentorship strategy for the Ajira Digital Program of the Government of Kenya, in which KU participated.
The DS4E training will be offered to interested KU students at no cost and will include skills in coding and programming, digital workspace and freelancing, digital literacy and entrepreneurship, cybersecurity essentials and STEM initiative workshops where local and global professionals will speak on job market projections and skills for future job market needs. The training emphasises participation of female students to promote gender equity and empower women through the technology and digital sectors, which are traditionally male-dominated fields.
ACWICT is collaborating with Microsoft to provide the training, they have been granted proprietary licences by Microsoft for learners to access a variety of free education resources and for developing digital innovations and products.