Nairobi: The Government has challenged Kenyan youth to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital innovation, and technical skills as a springboard for job creation and national development. Speaking during the 2025 World Youth Skills Day celebrations, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary (CS) Rebecca Miano officially launched the 2025 Tourism AI Solutions Hackathon, encouraging young people to harness their digital talents to revolutionize the tourism sector.
According to Kenya News Agency, Miano stated, "Kenya's future lies in the hands of our tech-savvy youth - digital natives fluent in AI and innovation." Quoting Eleanor Roosevelt, an activist and former First Lady of the United States, she reminded the youth that "the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams," urging them to reimagine tourism through innovation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Further, the CS praised the collaborative efforts behind the hackathon, organized by the Ministries of ICT, Labour, and Tourism in partnership with Nation Media Group, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and other stakeholders.
She emphasized that digital transformation must be viewed as a national priority under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). "With over 80 per cent of the hospitality workforce being youth, it is time they lead the digital transformation," proposed Miano, describing the hackathon as a rallying cry for digital brilliance.
Making his remarks, Labour and Skills Development Principal Secretary (PS) Shadrack Mwadime echoed the call, stressing that the government is committed to aligning training programs with labour market demands to ensure employability. "It is immoral to train youth and leave them without the ability to secure employment or start their own ventures," noted Mwadime. He called for real-time curriculum reviews and stressed that Generation Z is not just looking for jobs but meaningful opportunities to contribute to society.
The PS thanked development partners, including Nation Media Group and ILO, for their support and reaffirmed the Ministry's resolve to equip young people with future-ready, digital-first skills. Speaking during the same event, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Principal Secretary (PS), Esther Thaara, called for accelerated action to close the country's persistent skills gap, insisting that investing in youth education and training is key to economic transformation.
Drawing lessons from the rapid development of the Asian Tigers - Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong - Thaara noted that their success stemmed from deliberate national focus on youth skilling and disciplined workforce development. "If we get our act right by giving young people the right skills, we will transform this country," assured the PS.
Further, Thaara highlighted Kenya's progress under the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) framework, including modular training every three months, enhanced industry linkages, and digital curriculum delivery via mobile platforms, where she reported that over 150 TVET institutions now host digital labs. However, the PS raised concerns over inadequate training infrastructure and the urgent need to scale up resources to support the goal of enrolling over two million youth into TVET by the end of the year.
"We must digitize training so young people can access learning on their phones. They have the energy; therefore, we must give them the tools," she urged. Thaara also commended Kenyan youth who have earned international opportunities based on their technical expertise, including placements in Dubai, Australia, and The Hague. "Excellence will always be traced. If you are good at what you do, the world will find you," she remarked.
Meanwhile, the leaders jointly called on policymakers, employers, and learning institutions to strengthen collaboration and champion the digital and technical empowerment of Kenya's youth. As the country marked a decade of observing World Youth Skills Day, the event reinforced the importance of skills as the currency of the future and the foundation of Kenya's economic competitiveness.