It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the launch of the Emerging ICT Digital Skills and Programming Academy. This initiative is the result of a partnership between Kabarak University, Pixel Engineering Africa Ltd, and Parpus Limited.

Dr. Catherine Chengwony, Chief Officer, Ministry of Education, ICT, e-Government and Public Communication in Nakuru County;

Engineer Masibo, CEO - Pixel Engineering Africa Ltd

Mr. Erick Mutuku, CEO – Parpus Limited;

Capt. Tobias Ogeto - Stablegen Drones Academy; 

Eng. Onesmas Aberi - Senior Software Engineer (Safaricom);

Eng. Jacqueline Kamadi - Senior Software Engineer in test (Safaricom);

Eng. Teddy Nzioka - Senior Software Engineer in test (Safaricom);

Eng. Polycarp Kavo - Lead Software Engineer in test (Safaricom);

Eng. Lewis Mocha - Software Engineer in test (Safaricom);

Mr. Paul Saiwa – CEO –Solomons International;

Other invited guests;

Members of Kabarak University Management;

Director – KABUO;

Dean –School of Science, Engineering and Technology;

Ag. Dean, School of Music and Media;

Students and Staff from the School of Science, Engineering and

Technology and the School of Music and Media;

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon!

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the launch of the Emerging ICT Digital Skills and Programming Academy. This initiative is the result of a partnership between Kabarak University, Pixel Engineering Africa Ltd, and Parpus Limited.

The goal of this partnership is to deliver training in emerging ICT digital skills from an industry perspective through collaboration between industry and academia. Today, we are excited to announce the launch of the ICT Digital Skills and Programming Academy, which aims to bridge the skills gap created by rapid technological advancements.

The skill gap has emerged as a consequence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), compelling enterprises to reengineer their business processes to keep pace with the realities of digitization. This situation has led to a widening digital skill gap, highlighting the urgent need for continuous retraining of the workforce.

A World Bank report highlights the significant demand for digital skills in sub-Saharan Africa, where demand surpasses supply (World Bank, 2021).

The rapid pace of technological advancement is outpacing the current curriculum provisions. The report also acknowledges the vital role that tertiary institutions play in equipping students with advanced digital skills. This presents an opportunity for higher education institutions to develop innovative methods of imparting relevant and on-demand digital skills to students and job seekers, thereby addressing the emerging gaps in digital skills.

Eberhard, Birgit, et al. (2017) emphasize that the overall impact of business process reengineering driven by automation and digitization in enterprises has increased demand for a workforce skilled in technology. Consequently, higher education institutions must evolve their curricula to equip the labor market with the relevant skill sets needed for emerging digital firms.

According to a study by Glass Technologies, BHEF, and IBM (2017), jobs that demand advanced digital skills are expected to grow significantly, yet they are also among the hardest to fill. As a result, the report emphasizes the pressing need for new training programs.

To bridge the emerging digital skills gaps, formal training through higher education institutions or on-the-job training via workshops and short courses can be effective solutions.

Institutions of higher education need to develop a curriculum that meets the increasing demand for digital skills across various sectors. Kabarak University's emerging digital skills and programming academy seeks to tackle the challenge of the digital skills gap in the curriculum, which has arisen due to the rapidly evolving digital landscape. To ensure that the digital skill courses remain pertinent to the job market, the academy has embraced the Industry-Academia partnership model.

I would like to express my gratitude to Pixel Engineering Africa Ltd, Parpus Limited, and all other guests for joining us today to witness the launch of the Emerging ICT Digital Skills and Programming Academy.

We are confident that this partnership will effectively equip our students and recent graduates with contemporary digital skills that align with current trends in the job market, enhancing their employability.

With these remarks, I wish you all a fruitful and engaging experience. God bless you.