Digitalent Cohort VIII Inducted in as Graduates Hit 2,900
- During the induction of ICT Authority’s Presidential Digitalent Program (PDTP) Cohort VIII, 400 engineering and ICT graduates from across the country were admitted to the 12-months program.
- Digitalent has this far attracted over 100 private sector partners, generated over 1,000 innovation proposals, partnered with over 30 training partners and has managed to absorb 600 highly skilled ICT mentors.
The beneficiaries of the ICT Authority’s Presidential Digitalent Program (PDTP), which is an initiative to develop ICT high-end skills graduates in Kenya, are now at 2,900, eight years since the program was launched.
The revelation was made during the induction of Cohort VIII where 400 engineering and ICT graduates from across the country were admitted to the 12-months program. The graduates will spend nine months in the public sector and three months in the private sector.
Since the launch of PDTP in 2015, the program has attracted over 100 private sector partners, generated over 1,000 innovation proposals, partnered with over 30 training partners and has managed to absorb 600 highly skilled ICT mentors.
Speaking during the induction which coincided with the ongoing commemoration of ICT Authority’s 10th anniversary, Stanley Kamanguya, CEO of ICT Authority congratulated the graduates and underscored the progress of the program as vital in capacity building for the country’s ICT sector.
He said, “The induction of Cohort VIII today is a testament to the success and growing impact of the Presidential Digitalent Program. We are proud to see the program reach the milestone of almost 3,000 highly skilled ICT graduates, each equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to address the evolving challenges of the digital era.”
“As the ICT Authority we are sure that this program will accelerate the government’s agenda on digital transformation and support our endeavors to develop e-services among other vital ICT areas as captured in our mandate,” said Kamanguya.
While commenting on the Authority’s 10 years’ milestones, the CEO noted that the Authority is seeking to enhance ICT skills development in line with the provisions of the National Digital Masterplan (2022-2032).
“As we are commemorating our 10 years, we are saying that we have achieved key milestones in the last 10 years as demonstrated in the likes of this program but what matters most is the outlook of the next 10 years. We would like to ensure that this program aligns with the National Digital Master Plan which has prioritized digital skills as a key pillar in our digital economy,” he said.
The ICT Authority has a series of programs aimed at supporting the industry and every year, a new cohort is recruited.
The newly inducted Cohort VIII comprises a diverse group of digital enthusiasts, each selected for their exceptional skills and potential to contribute to the evolving digital Landscape.
The programme targets first and second upper honours ICT and Engineering degree graduates and 400 beneficiaries are selected every year. The call for applications for the eight-cohort started in September 2023 when over 1400 recent ICT and engineering graduates where shortlisted for the interviews.
The interviews were conducted regionally across the country during the month of November. From the interviews, 400 interns have been selected on merit to join the
Program.
The Digitalent is a Public Private Partnership Programme whose key components are Skill development, on-the-job coaching, mentorship, training, certification and ICT innovations.
