Tech companies seek to certify developers amid rising demand – Business Daily
Students during a practical lesson on the use of a 3D laser printer during at M-Pesa Foundation Academy in Nairobi. PHOTO | POOL
Tech companies plan to begin certifying developers trained in-house in a bid to increase the pool of talent amid a delay by the government to issue certification norms and a shortage of experts in the field.
Industry players and global schools who met last week blamed State delays in issuing certification for tech developers for hampering the growth of qualified coding experts.
This skill, which can be taught from early childhood, currently lacks an examination model by Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) that has seen few graduates come out to meet industry demand.
Entry of US tech titans led by Microsoft, Amazon and Google into the local market has exposed a talent shortage that has seen the multinationals hire on competency tests rather than qualifications.
The shortage of developers has seen local firms such as Safaricom pledge to start tapping developers from learning institutions while influencing the curriculum to have a wider pool of talent for the future.
“We are working with industry to see from the tech companies that we are talking to whether they can give certification of certain levels to those who graduate from high schools because the skills that are taught in coding are in high demand,” said Mugumo Munene, the chief executive officer of Kodris Africa.
“We are also delighted that KNEC is looking forward to assessing this material and establishing a system through which this can be examined.”
KNEC chief executive David Njengere said while the agency is bound by the law to assess all curriculums that have been reviewed by KICD, how that will be done is what will be determined largely by the broad principles of the CBC curriculum.
He said the government is attempting to make digital literacy a part of the assessments that will be conducted in schools.
Companies such as Microsoft have been keen on training their own talent to fit global standards that is bound to boost local tech talent.
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