Build skills to build economy and hit the 100pc clean energy by 2030 goal

Kenya is aiming for a transition to 100 percent clean energy sources by 2030. We must also bring safe, affordable power to the 30 percent of our people who currently go without reliable access to energy.

These challenges will call for a massive expansion of the clean energy workforce, particularly in marginalised communities and regions.

A tough task – but one that can bring jobs and social benefits where they are needed most.

There is one solution to these problems and many others – equipping young people to create Kenya’s green energy future.

We can train them to power up farms for greater productivity, light up homes and hospitals, and ensure families can access news and information wherever they are.

A skilled workforce is needed to instal and maintain cutting-edge technologies, but also in management, marketing and other business areas.

So how can we deliver high-quality training at the scale required? First, it’s vital to close gaps between training and industry.

Too often, courses don’t meet the needs of employers in this fast-moving sector – they are too theoretical or taught using outdated equipment and ideas.

Funders and government should support partnerships that deliver practical learning, and ensure employers can influence training curricula.

Customers and employers also need to know that training is up to scratch. Research by the Power for All coalition suggests only 43 percent of Kenya’s off-grid clean energy workforce has formal qualifications.

Formalising the sector will boost confidence and speed the spread of clean energy. Digital innovation can support teaching and also help trainees find work.

For example, apps that deliver digital learning can also highlight job opportunities, and keep jobseekers up to date with the very latest technical news and certification requirements.

It’s also vital to build a diverse workforce. For example, while on-the-job learning is essential, unpaid internships are a barrier to low-income students and should be avoided.

Gender inequality in the sector is a key issue to tackle, with too few women entering the workforce.

More data is needed to understand the true scale of the problem, but one effective response would be improving microfinance services, grants and loans that will help women set up thriving solar energy businesses.

The writer is the founder-director of The Toolkit Skills and Innovation Hub.