New program trains, employs young tech talent in Africa

Young tech talents in Kenya and across Africa gear up for the transformative Talent4Startups program. [Standard,File]

Kenya is among five countries that will benefit from participating in a new initiative that aims to train and employ young tech talent in Africa's digital scene.

Dubbed the Talent4Startups program, the initiative was launched by Digital Africa, a platform that supports the development of digital innovation on the continent, in collaboration with five incubation centres in the region.

AfriLabs, a network of innovation hubs in Africa, is supporting the program, which aims to meet the needs of African early stage startups to recruit qualified talent, while offering training and employment opportunities to young people awarded dedicated scholarships.

The program will train 200 young people from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, and Cameroon. The training will equip participants with the skills necessary to secure positions in startups and develop their professional capacity.

Lasting 10 weeks, the program will include six weeks of technical training, two weeks of hands-on training, and two weeks of soft skills development, culminating in a job placement activity on the last day, which promises to be a launching pad to success.

Following the training period, participants will take part in a matching process, connecting them with startups and organisations in need of their newly acquired skills.

"We are excited to be part of this transformative initiative that addresses a critical need in the African startup ecosystem. The Talent4Startups program aligns with AfriLabs' commitment to fostering innovation and empowering the next generation of tech leaders across the continent," stated Nanko Madu, AfriLabs Programmes Director.

Application for the program is open until February 25 via the Digital Africa website.