Google to train software developers through TVET institutions in Kenya

The Ministry of Education and Google have collaborated to create an Android Developer Skills Masterplan for use in Technical, Vocational, and Educational Institutions (TVETs).

During the six-month training, 300 TVET tutors will be educated, bringing intermediate-level skills in Android application development to 10,000 students in 50 institutions.

“Collaborations between governments and tech companies can drive digital transformation by growing the tech talent pipeline. Kenya is increasingly a place where innovation begins as developer communities across Kenya grow the developer ecosystem and drive creativity and entrepreneurship.” Cabinet Secretary for Education, Prof. George Magoha. 

Statistics show that Kenya has 60,000 professional developers, accounting for 9% of all developers in Africa.

Google’s Sub-Saharan Africa Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Charles Murito, expressed optimism that the partnership will help Kenya become a major tech start-up and innovation location in Africa.

“It underlines our work in supporting Kenya’s developer and startup ecosystem over the past decade, in which we have trained 15,000 developers, helped hundreds of thousands affordably access the internet, trained them in other digital skills, and invested in Kenyan startups.” Charles Murito. 

The Software Developer Hub will be the Kenya Technical Training College, with each participating TVET institution developing student developer clubs/groups.