KEPSA, Absa Partner in Plan to Create One Million Digital Jobs by 2023

ABSA Bank and Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), said on Tuesday they have partnered to create 1 million jobs for youth through training in digital skills and job placements by 2023.

The collaboration between the ICT ministry, KEPSA and Absa Bank Kenya will provide the youth with digital skills as part of the Ajira Digital and Ready-To-Work programmes. 

Absa Bank Kenya will provide work-readiness skills training through its existing ReadytoWork program, while leveraging KEPSA’s network to build linkages and alliances that will enable enterprises to outsource work, improving the impact of their ongoing young people’s placement programs.

“This partnership provides an opportunity where youth from our ongoing interventions like the Ajira Digital project can access the much-needed employability skills as well as open up job linkage opportunities. We hope that through our various engagements and activities that we will be conducted in line with this partnership we can unlock thousands of jobs to young people in the creative industry as influencers and content creators,” said Carole Kariuki, KEPSA chief executive.

Beneficiaries are to acquire soft digital skills including data entry, transcription and online marketing among others under the initiative aimed at easing access to online jobs for the youth.

“Youth empowerment, we believe, is a catalyst for positive social change in our communities and a tool that brings to light the potential that exists in every one of us. Hence, why education and skills are one of the strategic pillars of our Corporate Citizenship Strategy,” added Jeremy Awori, Absa Managing Director.

Since its inception, Absa’s Ready-To-Work initiative has impacted over 200,000 youth in the country to date and with a target of reaching one million by 2023.

Over 60,000 youth have been trained under the Ajira Digital programme across the country since its inception five years ago.