24^th June 2022, Ajira Digital Program through its implementor, the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), signed a collaboration agreement with Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT) in order to combine forces and share in each other’s competencies and skills that contribute to the growth of digital economy and creation of jobs for the DeKUT graduates.

The signing ceremony which happened during the launch of the DeKUT Ajira Club was to firm up the identified areas of collaboration which include the establishment and sustainability of the DeKUT Ajira Club, collaborative research, training and mentorship of DeKUT students, resource mobilization and co-creation of work solutions.

Speaking during the launch, Dr. Ehud Gachugu – Project Director of Ajira Digital Program and Youth Employment at KEPSA, highlighted how the private sector is driving the growth of the digital economy and job creation. Dr. Gachugu explained that KEPSA is working with various innovators, work platforms, corporates, and SMEs to support them in building solutions based on the gig economy, through incubation and piloting of nascent solutions. KEPSA continues to catalyze the growth of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs), Impact Sourcing Service Providers (ISSP), Blue Collar, eCommerce, Online Work Platforms and the freelancing economy as a solution for businesses.

Present at the launch were Ms. Maureen Mbaka – Cabinet Administrative Secretary at the Ministry of ICT, Innovations and Youth Affairs; Prof. Ndirangu Kioni – Vice-Chancellor DeKUT; Jane Waiyaki – Head of Sustainability & Citizenship, ABSA Bank Kenya; Mark Allen – Chief Operations Officer the Jitu among others.

Universities have continued to partner with the government, private sector and industry leaders to scale teaching and learning capacities and put the universities at the forefront of deepening the digital economy and improving the employability of their graduates.