China’s AVIC International Holding Corporation and the Kenyan Ministry of Education, Science and Technology have launched the Africa Tech Challenge in Nairobi. The project dubbed TVET (Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training for the Youth), aims to encourage more people to take technical courses to create employment and provide skilled workers for the government and the private sector.
The Africa Tech Challenge is designed to cultivate the spirit of entrepreneurship among students in Technical Training Institutions in Kenya. AVIC International, together with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology have introduced the TVET project to supply, install and commission electronic engineering equipment to various Institutions.
“Already we have equipped 10 universities for skills here in Kenya-countrywide, and we know there are young people learning, studying in those universities. So we hope this contest of AIC will let these 10 universities’ students join the activity.” Liu Jun, vice chairman of AVIC International, said.
The tech challenge comes at a time when the number of qualified technicians in the Kenya market has dwindled following an aggressive campaign that has seen most middle level institutions upgraded to universities.
“It is my view this contest will meet its objectives of training Kenyans and equipping them with productive skills for their own development and that of meeting the national development goals.” Jacob Kimenyi, Cabinet Secretary of Kenyan Ministry Of Edu., Sci & Tech, said.
AVIC International is going to offer technical training to the participants in July for fifteen days before the preliminary competition. It will also offer training before the final competition in September.
After the competition, AVIC will give the top three teams monetary awards and also link the winners with Chinese companies, which will sign a service contracts with them.