Safaricom expects to have 63 university students under its 2017 technology internship program with at least 40 of them female and four of them persons living with disabilities.

Rebranded to Safaricom Technology Academy this year, the internship program will be expanded to include five courses in addition to the hands-on internship experience. The courses under the Technology Academy will include IP Networking, Application Development, inter-personal skills, personal finances and job readiness skills.

“Our Technology Academy reflects our commitment to building local capacity and equipping Kenyans with the skills to keep up with fast changing technology. We have carefully designed the structure of the Academy to ensure participants are well prepared to tackle Kenya’s demanding technology sector,” said Thibaud Rerolle, Director – Technology, Safaricom.

In 2016, Safaricom absorbed two permanent employees from its internship program, while more than 20 other interns have been absorbed by 18 companies who have partnered with Safaricom on the Technology Academy. To date, more than 360 students have completed the program since its inception in 2012.

Safaricom’s Technology Internship program has also been credited with bridging the gender gap in the mobile operator, with female engineers now numbering 164 from 92 in 2013.

Applications for the 2017 Safaricom Technology Academy will open on the Safaricom Career Portal from Monday, 20th February 2017 and close on Sunday, 26th February 2017. This year’s program is especially targeting people living with disabilities in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields.