Africa Tech Challenge (ATC) has, for some time now, been holding a youth empowerment program that is on its fifth instalment. Yesterday’s fair, which was held at Kenya Technical Trainers College (KTTC) was marked by an awards ceremony that saw a couple of students from a handful of Kenyan colleges win several prizes in the Avic International Africa Tech Challenge Season 5.
ATC primarily targets to offer a platform where youths can develop their skills, especially on the practical front so that they are well equipped for gainful employment. The program is sponsored by AVIC International and the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Education.
What is more, ATC purposes to sell the ‘Made in Kenya’ brand through manufacturing awards and subscribing to Kenya’s Big Four Agenda that was coined by the Jubilee Government.
In attendance was the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Cooperatives, State Department of Investment and Industry Ms Betty Maina, who lauded the partnership that should foster Kenya’s ascent to peak industrialization.
The top two teams (from Rift Valley Technical Training and Technical University of Kenya) that presented admirable projects in several engineering fields, including CNC Lathe Machines projects, among other mechatronic engineering-based practicals, secured a manufacturing contract with to supply spare parts to China worth Kes 10 million.
Quotes
“As Avic International, we are proud to note that this new cohort of winners, in Season 5, will join the winners from the past four seasons in working with some of the best master craftsmen and Engineers that the world has to offer and learn just what has made us one of the largest, most reputable and most efficient firms in the world,” said AVIC International Holding Corporation Vice President of International Affairs Jin Shaohua.
“The government’s continued partnership in this program is informed by Kenya’s Vision 2030 goal of Industrialization that will create employment and wealth for the country and the overall move by African leaders to start the march towards a seamless Pan African free trade area. Programs such as these are a necessary part of the push to modernize our economies and maximize trade,” noted Ms Betty.
