Nairobi: State Department for Technical Vocational Education and Training (SDTVET) has entered into a three-year partnership with global tech giant Huawei, a collaboration formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the Southern Africa Region Huawei ICT Competition Award Ceremony to address the country’s digital skill gap.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Principal Secretary for State Department for Technical Vocational and Education Training (SDTVET), Esther Muoria, announced that the partnership is set to run from 2025 to 2028 and aims at equipping thousands of Kenyan youth with industry-relevant digital skills, which comes at a critical juncture for Kenya’s digital transformation.
She reiterated that data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows nearly 70 percent of the country’s youth lack the necessary competencies to meet the demands of the digital economy, a deficiency that not only limits access to emerging job opportunities but also threatens to stall economic growth and competitiveness. Dr. Muoria further disclosed that Huawei will establish 150 ICT Academies within TVET institutions across Kenya, targeting rural and under-resourced areas where access to digital training has traditionally been limited.
She emphasized that the initiative will offer training in high-demand fields such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and networking. “Each year, the program aims to certify 1,000 students at the Huawei Certified ICT Associate (HCIA) level and train 150 instructors through its Train-the-Trainer model,” stated the PS while underscoring the importance of integrating private-sector expertise into Kenya’s education system.
Muoria further added that the collaboration with Huawei is a vital step in equipping Kenyan youth with the digital skills required to succeed in today’s highly competitive global economy. “By integrating industry-driven training into our TVET system, we are narrowing the skills gap and opening doors to rewarding careers in Kenya’s expanding ICT sector,” she highlighted.
Muoria also revealed that the partnership aligns with the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the global trends identified in the Future of Jobs Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum (WEF), which predicts that nearly 50 percent of workers globally will require reskilling, particularly in tech-centric roles. She noted with concern that without strategic interventions, the widening gap between available tech talent and market needs could undermine job creation and productivity, especially in developing countries like Kenya.
Additionally, she alluded that the Ministry of Education, through SDTVET, will play a pivotal role in rolling out the program and identifying suitable institutions to host the academies and promote Huawei’s certification programs as part of the national skills development agenda. “The Ministry will also recognize the Huawei Certified Instructor Certificate (HCIAI) as a formal qualification for ICT teaching, reinforcing quality standards in digital education,” she disclosed.
Meanwhile, the Director of Huawei Southern Africa, Xu Yongbo, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to developing local talent. “Huawei is honored to partner with Kenya in shaping the future of its ICT workforce by leveraging our technological expertise alongside SDTVET’s educational framework, we are creating a skilled workforce that will drive innovation and contribute to Kenya’s Vision 2030,” he said.
Yongbo re-emphasized that the partnership also seeks to foster inclusivity by targeting learners in marginalized and rural communities, ensuring that they are not left behind in the digital shift. He added that by embedding training programs within existing TVET institutions, the initiative will capitalize on established infrastructure while significantly expanding access to 21st-century skills.
“As the digital economy continues to reshape job markets around the world, Kenya’s proactive approach fueled by partnerships like this one signals its readiness to compete and thrive in a technology-driven future,” he noted. He boasted of Huawei’s technological track record with operations in over 170 countries, which has led the company to make notable investments in research and development, particularly in 5G, cloud computing, and AI technologies.
“Huawei’s mission is to build a fully connected, intelligent world by enabling organizations and individuals to create value through innovation,” Yongbo added, stressing that Huawei, founded in 1987, is a global leader in ICT infrastructure and smart devices.
Kenya’s Vision 2030 recognizes digital transformation as a key enabler of economic growth, with a focus on creating a globally competitive and adaptive human resource base. With the support of a leading tech player like Huawei, the government is making a significant investment in that vision, one that is expected to bear long-term dividends in workforce productivity and innovation.