Kenya has ranked first in East Africa and third in Africa in export of services in information, communication and technology (ICT), also known as freelance online services, an indication of the growing demand for digital skills. UN Trade and Development data reveals Kenya’s earnings from digital service exports jumped to $973 million in 2021, up from $567 million in 2020. The rise of digital service exports points to a growing demand for workers with intermediate and complex digital skills working remotely for firms across the world.The limited job opportunities in the formal sector have pushed a majority of Kenyans to the online workspace with others having it as their side gig. Some of the most sought-after services are writing and translation, software development and technology, clerical and data entry tasks, and support in sales and marketing, among others. Notably, through government partnerships with multinational corporations such as the Huawei DigiTalent and DigiTruck project, youths are able to acquire the basic, intermediate and advanced digital skills to enable them to work online.Adam Lane, Huawei’s government affairs and policy director, said: “In addition to our university training programme with more than 60 universities and TVETs, we also run the DigiTruck to reach youth outside formal education and in rural areas.” “I am proud that we have ensured an equal gender split amongst trainees as digital skills are truly necessary for everyone in today’s economy.’’While unemployment in Kenya remains a worrying factor among many unemployed graduates, freelance online services provide an avenue for talented graduates with digital skills to earn money in exchange for their services. Graduates can leverage the various platforms offering online freelance services. Kenya, for instance, has entrenched itself in the writing and translation space, which accounts for 69 percent of Kenya’s online freelance workforce. Africa’s Development Dynamics 2024 Report notes: “In countries leading Africa’s digital transformation, like Kenya, by 2030, 55 percent of all jobs (or 21 million workers) may require basic digital skills, driven by the expansion of the domestic digital sector and start-up ecosystem.” (ICE NAIROBI)

Fonte notizia: Business Daily