Kenya on Monday held its first-ever AWS re/Start Career Fair, bringing together more than 300 cloud practitioners, recruiters, and industry leaders at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA).
The event, themed “Beyond Training, Into the Cloud Workforce,” connected graduates of the Ajira AWS re/Start program with employers seeking talent in the country’s fast-growing cloud computing sector.
Since 2021, the program, implemented locally by eMobilis under the Ajira Digital initiative, has trained 2,138 learners across 13 cohorts. Participants have gained skills in Linux, networking, Python, databases, and security, and hold the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner badge.
AWS re/Start Senior Program Manager for Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa, Lucas Ruengeler, said professional certifications have become vital in today’s job market.
“A global AWS report underscores this trend, with 97% of IT managers confirming that AWS training and certification provides a competitive advantage and 93% citing its importance during the interview process. This trend is particularly relevant in Kenya, where a growing digital economy is creating a high demand for skilled professionals, especially in areas like cloud computing and cybersecurity. This aligns with a 2025 World Economic Forum report projecting that 59% of all employees will need to reskill by 2030, highlighting that career changes and continuous learning are quickly becoming the new professional norm,” he noted.
eMobilis Co-founder and Managing Director Ken Mwenda said the country’s rapid digital expansion has created an urgent need for skilled professionals.
“The demand for cloud computing skills, in particular, has seen explosive growth. According to a recent LinkedIn Global Talent Trends report, cloud computing ranks among the top five most in-demand hard skills globally. This is further supported by a Vinsys report, which found that 75% of organisations are expanding their cloud capabilities, yet only 25% have structured training programs in place, creating a significant skills gap,” said Mwenda.
Industry experts from AWS, Deloitte, Safaricom, GIZ, and other organizations encouraged participants to continue upskilling and reskilling to remain competitive in the evolving digital economy.
The Ajira Digital Program, an initiative of the Ministry of ICT supported by the Mastercard Foundation, aims to create one million digital and digitally-enabled jobs annually.
AWS re/Start, a 12-week training program under Ajira, equips participants with technical and professional skills and links them with employers through mentorship and career fairs.
Stakeholders noted that the career fair marks a key step in building a pipeline of skilled professionals as Kenya strengthens its position as a regional technology hub.
