ICT access improves youth career choices

By Bett Kipsang’

Access to ICT skills and facilities has largely transformed the way youths in the area make choices on their prospective careers. Several youths have acquired ICT skills at the Maarifa centre thus enabling them to improve the way they search and access information online. 

ICT trainees attend lessons at Ngarua Maarifa centre

Mary Demba 18, is a beneficiary of the training. ‘‘I now have the confidence to go and research whatever information I want from the internet’’ Mary said. She completed her form four the previous year and managed to attain grade ‘B’ in her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), she qualifies to join one of the regular programs offered in the public universities in Kenya.  

Mary and many other youths came to the Ng’arua Maarifa centre to register their preferred courses online. The joint admission board gives students room to revise the choices made earlier. 

Mary’s career choice was influenced by her exposure to ICTs at the Maarifa centre. ‘‘Before I started the training, I knew little about ICT career prospects’’ said Mary who is now aspiring to pursue a career in public health and ICT. ‘‘The Maarifa centre has given me a wonderful exposure, that I would not have had’’ Mary said, adding that the facility is very helpful to residents and since there was no other cyber around Sipili.

On the same note is Ken Maina, 17 who went to St. Josephs seminary and attained a University grade of ‘B+’. He started using the Maarifa back in 2010 while still in school. Ken who successfully revised his career choices observed that it would have been costly for him to travel to Nyahururu to access internet and revise the courses. He plans to pursue technical and applied physics in the university.