Nairobi News

Hustle

Sh1 million at stake for innovative youth in Africa Tech Challenge Season 6


A new competition targeting the youth in Technical Training Institutions across Africa. Dubbed ‘Dream and Invent Your Future’, the Africa Tech Challenge (ATC) Season 6 will bring together participants from across eight African Countries for training, with the top six teams walking away with cash prizes worth more than Sh1 million.

Sponsored by AVIC International in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the top two teams will also be awarded manufacturing contracts worth Sh10 million.

The sixth season of Africa Tech Challenge will focus on enhancing the participant’s skills in CNC Lathe Machining Techniques, in support of the government’s continued efforts to achieve the Big Four Agenda, and the need to bridge performance skill gaps between graduates and the opportunities available.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Speaking during the launch of the competition on Friday, AVIC International TVET Director, Mr Zhao Lei Lei, highlighted the importance of continued skills development among the youth, in order to fill the skills, gap as the country and continent looks to industrialize and effect the necessary socio-economic transformation.

“ATC has been a journey in which we sought to transfer knowledge to our youth, thus enabling them to be self-sufficient. We have nurtured young talent and look forward to doing more as we expand the scope of the challenge,” said Mr Lei Lei.

Hosted by the Ministry of Education in Kenya, Africa Tech Challenge (ATC) has continued to work with various educational institutions in Africa to increase and develop professional skills.

PROJECT’S EXPECTATION

Dr Kevit Desai, PS, State Department of Vocational and Technical Education, Ministry of Education, who was the chief guest at the event, expressed his gratitude for the partnership with AVIC not only for TTI transformation in the country, but also its contribution in ensuring that the TTIs have a deliberate capacity toward inclusiveness in the 4th industrial revolution.

“This contest has been designed by AVIC International caring for Africa (Kenya) in collaboration with the Ministry, and will go a long way in mentoring young graduates from TVET colleges to become role models for others to emulate while creating employment opportunities for the youth in the world markets of manufacturing,” Dr Desai said.

He highlighted the project’s expectation to support and offer assistance to students in Technical Training Colleges in order to give them a chance to pioneer the country towards embracing technical skills and creating employment.