Need for well trained students
Today I read about the need to train young people in ICTs. But the idea builds on several key assumptions and I wanted to see if members of this group could either confirm or dispel them. Assumption 1: There is a high demand for well educated IT-professionals in the Kenya market? Assumption 2: There are not enough young people who can afford a degree in ICTs, and therefore not enough qualified students to fill all of the jobs? Assumption 3: Providing low-interest loans would help young people get the training they need and supply the market with the talent it demands? Assumption 4: It is difficult to get a loan in Kenya meaning the country lacks enough people with the right ICT training? Assumption 5: Most students who do graduate with a background in ICTs get a job and can easily pay back their loans? Are these assumptions grounded in reality and is this the complete story? Any thoughts or ideas on this matter are most welcome!
Assumption 1: There is a high demand for well educated IT-professionals in the Kenya market? *Conclusion: True, although the field is highly competitive and by "well-educated" they mean well-trained and with quantifiable experience, professional certifications, etc* Assumption 2: There are not enough young people who can afford a degree in ICTs, and therefore not enough qualified students to fill all of the jobs? *Conclusion: Not too sure about that because I know many well-trained ICT degree holders who do not have jobs * Assumption 3: Providing low-interest loans would help young people get the training they need and supply the market with the talent it demands? *Conclusion: Yes I believe the above is true* Assumption 4: It is difficult to get a loan in Kenya meaning the country lacks enough people with the right ICT training? *Conclusion: It's not difficult to get a loan and I dont believe ICT is taught in schools but in the field as even people with degrees get into the job market and realise they have no practical experience.* Assumption 5: Most students who do graduate with a background in ICTs get a job and can easily pay back their loans? *Conclusion: The job market is crowded, it's not easy to get a job, but the advantage in ICT is that one can easily start their own thing/business, depending on capital, of course, due to the skills one has acquired* On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 11:37 AM, Ben White <bwhite@hivos.nl> wrote:
Today I read about the need to train young people in ICTs. But the idea builds on several key assumptions and I wanted to see if members of this group could either confirm or dispel them.
Assumption 1: There is a high demand for well educated IT-professionals in the Kenya market?
Assumption 2: There are not enough young people who can afford a degree in ICTs, and therefore not enough qualified students to fill all of the jobs?
Assumption 3: Providing low-interest loans would help young people get the training they need and supply the market with the talent it demands?
Assumption 4: It is difficult to get a loan in Kenya meaning the country lacks enough people with the right ICT training?
Assumption 5: Most students who do graduate with a background in ICTs get a job and can easily pay back their loans?
Are these assumptions grounded in reality and is this the complete story? Any thoughts or ideas on this matter are most welcome!
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-- Shiro Njagi The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart. ~~Maya Angelou~~
Assumption 1: There is a high demand for well educated IT-professionals in the Kenya market?
*Conclusion: True, although the field is highly competitive and by "well-educated" they mean well-trained and with quantifiable experience, professional certifications, etc*
Well trained,I think it does necessarily mean that you have the papers.Why am I saying that?I have a friend who right now is a force to reckon with in the Telecoms sector but did only 1 semester of an Telecoms class.(Many of you will think thats an exception,but we have guru's who never did formal education).Yet he can probably seat in the same level with aki........ (hmmm...... am not biased...just talking the truthSO I believe papers are not everything.How many "rants" have we seen of a boss who has all the papers yet consults with a junior who has "jerk" but knows the work!
**
Assumption 2: There are not enough young people who can afford a degree in ICTs, and therefore not enough qualified students to fill all of the jobs?
*Conclusion: Not too sure about that because I know many well-trained ICT degree holders who do not have jobs *
Thats not true.How many job requests/Applications does one get when an IT post is advertised?
**
Assumption 3: Providing low-interest loans would help young people get the training they need and supply the market with the talent it demands?
*Conclusion: Yes I believe the above is true*
True.but what is the channel?Needs to be shortened.
**
Assumption 4: It is difficult to get a loan in Kenya meaning the country lacks enough people with the right ICT training?
*Conclusion: It's not difficult to get a loan and I dont believe ICT is taught in schools but in the field as even people with degrees get into the job market and realise they have no practical experience.*
Training could be there,actually we could be having more IT proffesionals than what the country can absorp
**
Assumption 5: Most students who do graduate with a background in ICTs get a job and can easily pay back their loans?
*Conclusion: The job market is crowded, it's not easy to get a job, but the advantage in ICT is that one can easily start their own thing/business, *
*depending on capital, of course, due to the skills one has acquired*
Not so sure since I havent had a loan as yet :)
On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 11:37 AM, Ben White <bwhite@hivos.nl> wrote:
Today I read about the need to train young people in ICTs. But the idea builds on several key assumptions and I wanted to see if members of this group could either confirm or dispel them.
Assumption 1: There is a high demand for well educated IT-professionals in the Kenya market?
Assumption 2: There are not enough young people who can afford a degree in ICTs, and therefore not enough qualified students to fill all of the jobs?
Assumption 3: Providing low-interest loans would help young people get the training they need and supply the market with the talent it demands?
Assumption 4: It is difficult to get a loan in Kenya meaning the country lacks enough people with the right ICT training?
Assumption 5: Most students who do graduate with a background in ICTs get a job and can easily pay back their loans?
Are these assumptions grounded in reality and is this the complete story? Any thoughts or ideas on this matter are most welcome!
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Shiro Njagi
The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart.
~~Maya Angelou~~
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- James M. Muendo Timsoft Technologies & Solutions Ltd. P.O Box 28016 - 00200, Nairobi. Mobile: +254725567508 skype:tim.rick http://rickdeesadvantage.blogspot.com/
On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 12:04 PM, James Muendo <timrick@gmail.com> wrote:
Assumption 1: There is a high demand for well educated IT-professionals
in the Kenya market?
*Conclusion: True, although the field is highly competitive and by "well-educated" they mean well-trained and with quantifiable experience, professional certifications, etc*
There is the demand by very little government or private sector help to get training centers established. If there are organizations who want to fund the establishment of high quality low cost training centers, please email me.
**
Assumption 2: There are not enough young people who can afford a degree in ICTs, and therefore not enough qualified students to fill all of the jobs?
*Conclusion: Not too sure about that because I know many well-trained ICT degree holders who do not have jobs*
Have to agree here. There needs to be a better link up between those who need jobs and those who are looking for them.
Assumption 3: Providing low-interest loans would help young people get
the training they need and supply the market with the talent it demands?
We are starting a new program here in Kenya called the University of the People that will provide FREE Bachelor of Computer Science degrees to Form 4 graduates online. Contact me for details.
**
Assumption 4: It is difficult to get a loan in Kenya meaning the country lacks enough people with the right ICT training?
**Again, the University of the People is FREE. Thus in 4 years young
people can have a BA without paying anything.
Assumption 5: Most students who do graduate with a background in ICTs get a job and can easily pay back their loans?
Should I say it again?
There are ways to deal with these issues, but it will require a more concerted effort and bring together the right people. It will also require the political will to make the necessary changes in terms of infrastructure and public services.
Many blessings, Crystal
On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 11:37 AM, Ben White <bwhite@hivos.nl> wrote:
Today I read about the need to train young people in ICTs. But the idea builds on several key assumptions and I wanted to see if members of this group could either confirm or dispel them.
Assumption 1: There is a high demand for well educated IT-professionals in the Kenya market?
Assumption 2: There are not enough young people who can afford a degree in ICTs, and therefore not enough qualified students to fill all of the jobs?
Assumption 3: Providing low-interest loans would help young people get the training they need and supply the market with the talent it demands?
Assumption 4: It is difficult to get a loan in Kenya meaning the country lacks enough people with the right ICT training?
Assumption 5: Most students who do graduate with a background in ICTs get a job and can easily pay back their loans?
Are these assumptions grounded in reality and is this the complete story? Any thoughts or ideas on this matter are most welcome!
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Shiro Njagi
The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart.
~~Maya Angelou~~
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- James M. Muendo Timsoft Technologies & Solutions Ltd. P.O Box 28016 - 00200, Nairobi. Mobile: +254725567508 skype:tim.rick
http://rickdeesadvantage.blogspot.com/
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Crystal "Naliaka" Watley Kigoni Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development crystal@voicesofafrica.org http://www.voicesofafrica.org/ "You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi
participants (4)
-
Ben White -
Crystal Watley Kigoni -
James Muendo -
Shiro Njagi