Nairobi County Launches Training of Trainers Program to Power Digital Skills Revolution
In a strategic move to bridge the digital divide and empower its youth, Nairobi City County has officially launched an ambitious Training of Trainers (ToT) program aimed at revolutionizing ICT education within the city’s Vocational Training Centres (VTCs). The initiative, unveiled by County Executive Committee Member for Education, will equip VTC instructors with advanced digital skills and modern pedagogical tools, effectively transforming them into catalysts for the county’s broader digital transformation agenda. This foundational program seeks to create a ripple effect, ensuring that thousands of students annually receive industry-relevant tech training, thereby boosting their employability in a rapidly digitizing economy.
The intensive program targets master trainers from VTCs across all 17 sub-counties, focusing on practical and emerging technologies. Key training modules include digital content creation, coding fundamentals, data analytics, and the integration of e-learning platforms into traditional coursework. Beyond technical prowess, the curriculum emphasizes 21st-century teaching methodologies, preparing instructors to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills in their students. We are not just teaching our instructors how to use software; we are empowering them to become architects of a new digital workforce, stated a senior county official during the launch at a Nairobi VTC, attended by education stakeholders and private sector partners.
Reaction from the educational sector has been overwhelmingly positive, with VTC principals hailing the program as a long-overdue modernization drive. For years, our curriculum has risked lagging behind the market. This initiative ensures that the person standing at the front of the class is equipped with the same tools used in today’s offices and innovation hubs, remarked the principal of a technical institute in Embakasi. The program is seen as a direct response to employer complaints about a skills mismatch, aligning vocational training with the needs of industries ranging from fintech and logistics to digital marketing.
The long-term success of the ToT program will be measured by its tangible impact on student outcomes and Nairobi’s economic landscape. The county government plans to establish a monitoring framework to track the performance of trained instructors and their students, with success indicators including certification rates, graduate employability, and the launch of student-led digital projects. By investing in the human capital at the heart of its vocational training system, Nairobi County is betting on a multiplier effect: upskilling trainers today to build a more competitive, innovative, and digitally fluent workforce for tomorrow, solidifying the city’s claim as a beacon of technological progress in the region.