Ajira Digital is a free, online digital training program sponsored by the Kenyan government. It teaches digital skills and skills-based education to students and professionals.
The program was launched in November 2016 by the Ministry of ICT in association
with the Ministry of Public Service, Youth, and Gender Affairs. Additionally,
It also partners with the University of Nairobi in offering the courses.
The core of the program is an immersive 1-week curriculum that teaches the
youth how to use technology as a tool for economic and social change. The
Kenyan government aims to make it possible for over a million young Kenyans to
obtain online employment by providing resources, training, and mentorship.
Training
The training is purely online, and it’s done on a
first-come, first-served basis.
Once you select a course, you are assigned a competent professional in your
area. Keep in mind that the 1- week session is only available full-time and you
can’t organize for part-time classes.
The best part? Your instructor will walk with you throughout
the training and mentorship. It may look vigorous, but it’s worth it.
They network to connect you to a global pool of
professionals that link you to jobs. You also get access to the networking
features that allow you to communicate with employers and other experienced
online workers.
One more beautiful perk is that you are offered a certificate at the end of the training. The credentials will be available on the Ajira website.
Courses offered by the Ajira Digital program
The learning network offers a wide variety of courses
spanning from:
- Leadership
skills: cross-cutting module
- Blue
collar: fundamental module
- Basic computer programming
- Basic
graphic design module
- Introduction
to Web Development
- Data
entry
- Transcription
- Virtual
assistance
- Digital
marketing and e-commerce
- Aws
re/start
- Content/Copywriting
To qualify for this program, students begin by completing an
online assessment before moving on to their main courses.
- One
must be 18 years of age and above,
- Be
fluent in both written and verbal English.
- Have a
high school certificate or diploma.
- Willing
to commit 40 hours a week to the training.
- Have a laptop and a reliable Internet connection.
How do you register for the Ajira Digital Program?
Follow these simple steps to register for the Ajira Digital
Training.
- Visit
the official Ajira website.
- Navigate
to the top-right corner of the website.
- Click
on the “Register” tab.
- Now,
enter your registration information on the site.
- You’ll
need to provide information like your name, ID number, mobile number,
legal email address, and password.
- Tap
the “Register” tab in the lower right corner of the registration page
after filling out these details.
After you’ve filled in all your details correctly, you’ll receive an email
to verify your registration.
On the other hand, if you’d like to enroll in the courses, the process is
pretty straightforward.
- Login
at Ajira digital website
- To
view all of the future online training opportunities, scroll down the
page.
- Next,
schedule a training session.
- Select
the county and training facility where you want to receive your training.
- Now,
select the course that you want to take.
Keep in mind that you can only schedule one Ajira class at a
time.
The system will then send you an email with details about your reservation.
And, when your reservation is complete, you will receive email notifications
when Ajira training courses are available in your region.
Why Ajira Digital Training?
The government is actively working to use local talent to move 50% of
outsourcing and online jobs to Kenya over the next ten years.
In a prior interview with the CS ICT, more than 100,000 Kenyans said they
currently make their whole living from online activities. And, as the
government boosts ICT spending, this number is expected to rise after the
COVID-19 pandemic tested the limits of physical work.
Currently, a single person living in Kenya needs at least Kshs. 20,000 per
month in terms of finances to meet their most basic needs. If they had access
to digital employment, young people could begin to meet their basic
necessities. The availability of digital employment will increase prosperity
and the middle class nationwide. At the same time, additional people in the
middle class translate into more company prospects and direct GDP development.
Politically, the project will strengthen national cohesion and integration and
promote equitable development in order to realize Vision 2030. Socially, jobs
mean people will be able to earn a living wage, and they are less likely to
participate in crime and destructive behavior.
Ajira Digital FAQ
What is Ajira digital programme?
It is a government initiative driven by the Ministry of ICT,
Innovation and Youth Affairs to empower young Kenyans to access digital and
digitally-enabled job opportunities.
And what are the activities of Ajira?
Ajira conducts awareness about digital work through free
trainings, mentorship, and providing access to infrastructure such as free
Internet and laptops at the Ajira Centres. The programme seeks to position
Kenya as a choice-labour destination for multinational companies, as well as
encourage local companies and the public sector to create digital work.
Digitisation of both government and private sector projects has already created
significant viable micro-work for digital workers.
Is academic writing part of the training?
Ajira discourages academic writing as it is un-ethical and
negatively impacts the job market where employers distrust qualifications of
graduating youth. The programme, therefore, shows the youth alternatives such
as how to participate in ethical digital work from universities and content
writing for global clients.
How do I join the programme?
Create an account on AJIRA and register into one of the
trainings. It’s absolutely free.
Requirements to train?
All Ajira activities are free to all Kenyans. All you need
to do is create an account on the Ajira portal, have access to the Internet and
a computer. If you don’t have Internet or a computer, you can visit the over
300 Ajira Youth Empowerment Centres countrywide that are fully equipped.
Am I given a job after training?
Not exactly. Instead of giving you the fish, Ajira teaches
you how to fish and points you to the direction of the ocean. In other words,
Ajira shows you where the jobs are and trains you on how to apply for them.
Anything else?
Yes. The main objectives of Ajira are: to raise the profile
of digital work; promote a mentorship and collaborative learning approach to
finding digital work; provide Kenyans with access to digital work, and finally,
promote Kenya as a destination for digital workers.
Any gains so far?
More than 72,000 youth have been trained, sensitized and
have accessed learning opportunities from the programme. Overall, as per a
household survey carried out in March of 2020, some 677,961 Kenyans are working
on digital and digitally-enabled jobs.
The programme has also established partnerships with over 20
job linkage platforms and is currently working with the MasterCard Foundation,
eMobilis and KEPSA to scale and implement the programme activities countrywide.
What skills qualify me to start earning with digital work?
To start working online, you only need basic computer
skills, Internet connection and a desktop or laptop computer.
Can I get State-sponsored free Wi-Fi?
There are 300+ Ajira Youth Empowerment Centres (AYECS)
countrywide. You can view their details including those already with Internet
connection on the Ajira website under the ‘Resources’ tab.
How will I get paid?
As a digital worker you can get paid through a number of
channels which include; MPESA, Direct deposits, Skrill, PayPal and Payoneer.
You can get more information from the website.
Should I pay anyone for an account?
No! Neither should you pay to get a job. Trusted digital
work platforms are free to join. Visit Ajira’s ‘Find Work’ page to get started
with some digital job linkage platforms.
Are online courses helpful?
Yes. Online courses deepen your skill. These can be videos,
webinars or eLearning courses. Take several tests or recognised certification to
strengthen your digital work profile and demonstrate your ability to potential
clients. Check out Ajira’s ‘Certification Resources’ page for some links to
free certification, and sign up to Ajira partners’ courses which include Cisco,
IBM, Huawei and HP.
And connecting with others?
Very important too. Ajira is setting up Ajira Clubs in every
University, TVET and Polytechnic. The clubs will also be rolled out at Ajira
Centres and form an opportunity for youth to be part of a community of workers,
where they can network and drive innovation. You can also find a community or
even mentors on social media.
I guess starting should be small?
Absolutely. For your first few jobs, take small, easy-to-complete tasks and build up to more complex work. This will allow you to build
a good reputation online. Be patient, grow your digital work career with
purpose and direction.
In summary…
Programme initiatives are anchored on four strategic pillars
designed to address the key challenges that hinder the youth from benefiting
from digital and digitally-enabled job opportunities:
- Access
to dignified work – Catalyse the demand side locally, regionally and
internationally
- Education
and skills – Opportunities to gain useful work-readiness skills and
mentorship for the dynamic and always-changing ecosystem at no cost
- Access
to infrastructure – Empowerment through regulatory, infrastructure and
financial support. Free access to Innovation Hubs, Studio Mashinani, and
Y254 TV Channel
- Awareness – Building trust and confidence