(L-R) chief consumer business Officer, Safaricom, Fawzia Ali Kimanthi and CEO, ICT Authority, Stanley Kamanguya sign an agreement to establish the Connect Academy.

Safaricom and Kenya's ICT Authority have launched an academy to train and empower 10,000 fibre technicians over the next five years.

The Connect Academy will provide comprehensive training programmes to develop highly skilled fibre optic and fixed wireless technicians.

The academy's partners said attendees will get hands-on experience, theoretical understanding, and practical skills for successful network deployment.

The Connect Academy is part of the Presidential DigiTalent Programme, a public-private partnership programme that seeks to improve skills by offering on-the-job coaching, mentorship, training, and certifications.

Safaricom said in a statement that the academy is in line with its commitment to investing in robust fibre optic networks in Kenya and Ethiopia, as well as the ICT Authority's ambition to deploy extensive fibre networks, public Wi-Fi hotspots, and Digital Village Smart Hubs.

“Our target is to grow broadband connectivity talent pool for both public and private sectors in partnership with TVETs. This will create employment and a career path for Kenyan youths who lack higher education. We intend to have the first cohort of 200 begin in May,” said Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi, chief consumer business officer at Safaricom.

Stanley Kamanguya, CEO of ICT Authority, added: "This academy feeds right into our plan to collaborate with the private sector in our digital transformation agenda. We have been very consistent that as government, we cannot do this alone, and that's why we've been calling upon the private sector to come in and support and collaborate with us."