NAIROBI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese telecom firm Huawei will strengthen its partnership with Kenyan higher learning institutions to equip local youth with market-ready digital skills and tackle unemployment, an executive said on Wednesday.
"In the last decade, the Huawei ICT Academy program has partnered with Kenyan universities and vocational training institutions to provide training to more than 12,000 youth with industry-relevant ICT skills," Khadija Mohammed, director of public affairs and communications at Huawei Kenya, said during the fourth edition of Skill Up Africa 2026 in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.
Huawei is a technology partner for the two-day event, which brought together senior policymakers, industry executives, and scholars.
Participants are exploring new pathways to upskill African youth, ensuring they are adequately prepared for future tech-driven jobs.
The forum coincides with World Youth Skills Day, observed annually on July 15 to underscore the importance of equipping young people with technical, vocational, and professional skills to help them secure decent employment.
Mohammed added that Huawei provides opportunities to up to 100 management trainees and interns annually, ensuring that young graduates acquire valuable workplace experience, while bridging the gap between industry and academia.
Through partnerships with state agencies, Huawei has also rolled out training programs to improve the aptitude of public sector workers in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, supporting Kenya's digital transformation, said Mohammed. ■