Safaricom Foundation Injects Ksh1.5 Million to Upgrade St Thomas Kanja TVET Digital Lab

Safaricom Foundation has upgraded the digital laboratory at St Thomas Kanja Vocational Training Centre in Embu County through a KSh1.5 million investment aimed at expanding training opportunities and equipping young people with practical digital skills for the job market.

According to a statement from Safaricom, the upgraded digital infrastructure will increase the institution’s training capacity from 300 to 500 trainees.

The investment will also provide more young people in the county with access to digital skills training, helping them develop practical competencies that can improve their employment opportunities.

The project seeks to address the gap in practical skills development in Embu County by strengthening the institution’s capacity to deliver digital training and prepare young people for opportunities in the job market.

“A high-tech digital lab upgrade at St Thomas Kanja Vocational Training Centre in Embu County will help bridge a critical practical skills gap and increase the institution’s capacity from 300 to 500 trainees,” said the statement.

Safaricom Foundation made the investment through its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme.

The programme focuses on strengthening vocational institutions by improving access to modern training facilities and industry-relevant skills.

Youth Unemployment

Additionally, Safaricom says the intervention comes as youth unemployment in Kenya remains high, with national figures standing at 39 percent.

“The intervention targets a severe educational bottleneck in Embu County, where census data show that only 1% of the population has reached youth polytechnic level,” said the statement.

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The foundation says the enhanced digital laboratory will enable more students to acquire computer literacy and technical skills that are increasingly required across different sectors of the economy.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Safaricom PLC Mount Kenya Region General Manager Patrick Mburu said vocational institutions play an important role in preparing young people for the labour market by providing practical training aligned with industry needs.

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“Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions like St Thomas Kanja are the strategic solution. When we strengthen this foundation, we provide a practical path that ensures when you walk out of these gates, you are ready for the industry,” Patrick Mburu noted.

The upgraded facility is expected to support digital learning and improve hands-on training for young people.

It will also increase access to technical education in Embu County as demand for digital skills continues to grow across Kenya’s workforce.

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Patrick Mburu, General Manager at Safaricom PLC, at the handover of an equipped ICT laboratory.
PHOTO/File