Africa Tech Challenge season 8 has officially kicked off after it was officially launched by the Principal Secretary of the state Department of Technical and Vocational and Education Training Dr Esther Mouria in Nairobi on 24th July 2023.
PS Dr. Esther emphasized that this will be an opportunity for the youths to get empowered and further remarked on the need for participants to see it as more than just a mere competition rather it’s a major step in addressing employability gaps.
The Africa Tech Challenge Season 8 2023 has been launched at the Kenyan vocational training University That’s Technical University of Kenya (TUK). ATC was launched back in June 2014 and is normally a celebration of skills and talent thus accorded its title of the platform that empowers the youths with hands-on skills.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of the Technical University of Kenya Prof Paul Shiundu said this is a great opportunity to host the crucial event in a Kenyan training campus as it provides Kenyan academicians a greater chance to achieve mastery of their skills. Lauding the government and academic institution elites for having granted Technical campuses an opportunity to offer Degree Courses in 2009 an occurrence that was effected upon reception of the Charter in 2013.
ATC event bringing together more than nine countries is a competition entailing CNC Lathe Machining, and Mechanical Drawing & CAD Software applications. Offers a great platform to enable the learners to become more empowered with actual skills as well as allow them to showcase their potential that’s most important.
According to Mr. Ma Chengyuan, the representative of AVIC International Holding Corporation Kenya noted that Cooperation with Kenya and other African states in skilling the African youth is an ideal pillar of their company to improve every single season that they shall be hosting the competition.
Africa Tech Challenge this year is themed ‘Role of Engineering in driving industrialization in Africa. It will focus on the rapidly developing construction industry, notably the design component. This year’s challenge will see youths from nine African countries competing for the top prize that includes Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Egypt, Ghana, Gabon, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Cote D’Ivoire.
Contestants will be able to boost their design abilities, especially in reading and drafting construction drawings using cutting-edge technology tools such as ZWCAD.
ATC season 8 will be offering free online courses to its students via AVIC INTL vocational Education online platform. In return, this will help African countries cultivate high-quality skills and technical talents using TVETs.
Through this partnership, AVIC INTL and the Ministry of Education. 154 TVET institutions have been equipped with modern equipment in Kenya since 2010.Season 8 cements China’s goal of equipping African youth with the global industrial skills required to spur the manufacturing sector in the African continent.
“Looking forward to a robust challenge among the 8 participating countries to showcase their skills that they are ready to drive the development agenda of the great African continent.
He further added that this year’s theme ‘Building the Future Together with The Youth in Africa’ resonates with the firm’s ambition of building a better infrastructural sector in the continent, said Mr. Ma Chengyuan,
China’s government has assured African countries of its continuous support in the TVET sector and also ensures that there are more exchange programs that are aimed at re-skilling African TVET trainers to be able to meet global standards.
Organizers
ATC Season VIII is organized by AVIC International Holding Corporation (AVIC INTL) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education of Kenya and the China Education Association for International Exchange.
The competition offers CNC Lathe Machining, Mechanical Drawing, and CAD Software Applications.
The CNC Lathe Machining competition is held offline in Kenya, while Mechanical Drawing and CAD Software Application competition is held online in the countries where each participating team is located.
Before the official start of the competition, contestants will first complete a five-week professional training and obtain corresponding training certificates. The participants in the CNC Lathe Machining competition will be taught offline by professional teachers from Inner Mongolia Technical College of Mechanics and Electronics.
whereas the contestants in Mechanical Drawing and CAD Software Application competition will be taught online by professional teachers from Chengdu Aeronautic Polytechnic and Xi’an Aeronautical Polytechnic Institute and trained using zwCAD software made in China.
Prizes to be won include various diverse awards that the winning teams will receive rewards. As well as the winning individuals getting to receive opportunities to study abroad in China and recommended internships or employment.
