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Time to equip Gen Zs for the new global workforce
As digital natives, Gen Z is uniquely adaptable, entrepreneurial, and comfortable with the tools of remote work.
What you need to know:
- As digital natives, Gen Z is uniquely adaptable, entrepreneurial, and comfortable with the tools of remote work.
- The long-term success of digital skilling depends on our collective ability to move from ambition to action.
Kenya stands at a critical juncture, poised to leverage its youthful population into a powerful engine for economic growth. With 75 per cent of its population under the age of 35, the country's demographic advantage, yet this potential remains largely dormant. The question is no longer about the inherent promise of this vibrant generation but about the practical and scalable solutions needed to equip them to thrive in the 21st-century economy.
The answer lies in a deliberate, nationwide investment in digital skilling.
In today’s globalised and tech-centred world, digital skills are the new literacy. For Kenya to truly seize the immense opportunities presented by the digital economy, its youth must be at the forefront of this transformation. As digital natives, Gen Z is uniquely adaptable, entrepreneurial, and comfortable with the tools of remote work. High connectivity is enabling their access to digital jobs, leading to a high uptake of freelancing, online jobs, and digital entrepreneurship.
Initiatives focused on digital skilling represent a strategic and essential response to this challenge. For example, the Jitume Digital Enablement Programme, an initiative implemented by Konza Technopolis in collaboration with the Ministry of ICT and various industry partners, is providing practical training and exposure to a wide range of in-demand digital skills. This program, currently in 282 labs and with about 1 million youths enrolled, is systematically bridging the urban-rural divide through a two-phased approach.
Essential digital infrastructure
By deploying labs in Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions and establishing digital hubs in all 1,450 wards across the country, it is democratising access to essential digital infrastructure. This ensures that youth from all backgrounds, regardless of their geographical location, have a fair chance to succeed.
The beneficiaries receive structured digital skilling courses and are introduced to online job platforms in high-demand areas. The skills range from transcription and data annotation to more advanced areas like coding, data analytics, design, digital marketing, content creation, and AI-driven services.
They are directly translatable into income, empowering young people to participate actively in the global gig economy while enabling them to contribute meaningfully to their households and, by extension, to the broader national economy. This is not simply about creating jobs, it is fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Top outsourcing hub in Africa
A significant opportunity arising from these digital skilling efforts is the ability for Kenya’s youth to leverage the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector. With the rise of remote work and the gig economy, geographical barriers have been removed, allowing Kenyan Gen Zs to work with clients in the US, Europe, and Asia. This has positioned Kenya as a top outsourcing hub in Africa.
Large global tech companies have already established a presence in Kenya, reinforcing its potential as a reliable BPO hub that can attract foreign investment and further solidify the country’s standing in the global digital economy.
For these efforts to reach their full potential, sustained investment and disciplined execution are essential. The long-term success of digital skilling depends on our collective ability to move from ambition to action, ensuring that every piece of infrastructure and every training opportunity is utilised to its full capacity. This International Youth Skills Day month, let us reaffirm our commitment to this vision, ensuring that the promise of a digitally skilled generation becomes the reality of a transformed and thriving Kenya.
John Paul Okwiri, is the Chief Executive Officer Konza Technopolis Development Authority
