PDTP partners aim to exceed President’s interns target in 2016

Partners of the recently launched Presidential Digital Talent Program (PDTP) have set a target to accept 500 interns for next year’s leg of the program, 300 more than the President’s initial target of 200.

Speaking the #CIODay forum organised by IBM and CIO East East Africa, Robert Mugo, Director of Shared Services at the ICT Authority said: “The president said 200 interns but the target is 500 interns for next year.”

Mugo added that the Presidential Digital Talent Program is important to the Kenyan economy as it is aimed at providing manpower to both the public and private sectors and at the same time the program seeks to provide employment to the youth.

The program was launched through Jubilee government’s partnership with the private sector, consisting of both global brands and local companies, aimed at improving ICT in the country.

The Presidential Digital Talent Program begun with 100 interns who were given stipends, a laptop each and a branded shirt (with the program’s logo).

It was during the official launch of the program that President Kenyatta shared his vision for the program, stating that his intention is to see it proceed to a higher level within the near future.

“You are the first one hundred, there will be a lot of another one hundred and next year we want to push that group up to two hundred” the President concluded.

Through the Presidential Digital Talent Program, the government; through the Ministry of ICT is looking for young Kenyans with a passion for ICT and public service to participate in the program, which takes 12 months, as management trainees.

The government will identify potential sponsors and seek their support for the program. Interns in Government Institutions will serve a number of purposes.

These include providing training ground for potential employees in the future and will offer affordable labor pool of freshly qualified (or to be qualified) individuals.