Connected Africa Summit 2024 Unveils Kenya's Plans to Equip Millions of Youths with Digital Skills

Kenya’s dedication to upscaling its youths is wonderful to behold. This is evident in the recent Connected Summit Africa 2024 that took place in Nairobi. Two major announcements at the Summit reveal the desire and plans the country has for its youths.

This summit, centered around the theme “Shaping the Future of a Connected Africa: Unlocking Growth Beyond Connectivity,” provides a vital forum for decision-makers and business executives. It also included visionaries and startup founders from Africa and beyond to work together in crafting a path toward a more digitally inclusive and prosperous Africa.

The summit revealed the plans the Kenyan government had for the youths and its desire to create a technology-driven society. The event bore two major initiatives that will positively impact citizens.

Connected Summit 2024: AWS ‘AI Ready’ Initiative For Kenyans

Amazon Web Services (AWS) announcing the availability of its ‘AI Ready’ initiative in Kenya was one of the major announcements. This initiative aims to equip two million Kenyans with free and essential AI skills by 2025.

Regional Lead, Public Sector-Sub-Saharan Africa, of AWS, Mr Robin Njiru stressed that AI education should be made accessible to youths interested. He said, “Artificial intelligence (AI) is the most transformative technology of our generation. We need to make AI education accessible to anyone with a desire to learn.”

The initiative’s modules will cover various AI aspects, including complex topics such as machine learning, deep learning, and computer vision.

Also, Participants will have access to online courses, hands-on labs, and webinars.

Additionally, AWS will offer a free cloud skills training program called AWS re-Start, which has trained over 700 Kenyan youths in the past.

The program will equip Kenyan youths with relevant AI skills to drive innovations and economic growth in the country.

Connected Summit 2024: KoTDA’s Initiative For Kenyans

The other major announcement came from the Konza Technopolis Development Authority’s (KoTDA) camp. KoTDA signed a memorandum of understanding with Acyberschool to coach at least one million Kenyan youths in AI and cybersecurity in the next five years. This arrangement aims to establish a creative tech pool that initiates digital market growth in Africa.

Both programs will provide Kenyan youths with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the entry-level tech world. With the curriculums, participants will develop expertise in different tech sectors. Additionally, they get equipped with other skills such as communication, collaboration, resume writing, and interview coaching. These skills prepare them for the job market.

Kenya Positioned For Accessing Digital Age Opportunities

With these initiatives and more, Kenya has positioned itself to build a future workforce ready to take on the challenges and opportunities of the digital age. AI has a lot of potential and its growth trajectory reveals that continuous development is paramount and necessary.

The Kenyan government has taken steps to upscale its youth in this aspect, as industry analysts predict a surge in growth over the next decade.

The Market research implies a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of up to 37.3%, translating to a potential market size exceeding $1.8 trillion by 2030. This marks a significant leap from the estimated $150 billion valuation in 2023.

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