Scholars have been advised to enroll for innovative and creative courses to help solve current and future global challenges.
Nakuru Deputy Governor Dr Erick Korir said the country relies on education and training system to create a sustainable pool of highly trained human resource capital.
“This is a first and huge step towards creating a knowledge economy that is internationally competitive,” said Dr Korir, a PhD holder in Chemistry from University of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa.
Dr Korir was speaking at the end of a two-week rigorous induction workshop for the Equity Bank’s Paid Internship Programme beneficiaries at Jumuia Guest House, Nakuru on Saturday.
Some 67 scholars from the region – 14 Counties from the Rift Valley region – are part of 371 top students from the KCSE class of 2017 selected to join the programme this year across the country.
The group underwent training to impact skills in financial literacy, career development, teamwork, emotional intelligence, problem solving techniques among others.
The DG commended the initiative for its model, to expose the youth to personal and professional development, global opportunities, creativity and innovation and community engagement.
“Similarly, the program creates a strong network of scholars who work together across disciplines and sectors to transform their communities, their country and the world at large,” he stated.
The program admits the top performing boy and girl in K.C.S.E. exams from each county, as well as top performing Wings to Fly scholars who also scored an A.
Ms Caroline Eregai who scored an A Minus at Turkana Girls High School encouraged children in hardship areas to work hard in school to realize their goals.
“Your dreams should not be pegged on your current or past experiences. Stay focused,” she said adding that she would work to see children in Turkana get quality education.
Dr Korir said that by encouraging children to excel academically, join and be part of such programs was exposing them to global thinking.
Equity Bank’s regional manager Mr Collins Mukangu said previous beneficiaries had excelled in local and global acclaimed universities and now working for top companies.
“The internship runs for 9-18 months, the period between high school and university and the long vacations, with a scholar earning Sh40, 000 per month,” Mr Mukangu revealed.
Mr Mukangu said the country’s future depended on how well Kenyans embrace the future in terms of how the world is evolving and opening up new career opportunities.
The DG said the county was seeking interventions on various needs, “for a full benefit, we need to create employment opportunities so that as a county we are not affected by brain drain.”
He called for private-public partnerships to help further county’s development agendas.
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