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Accelerating skills transformation through immersive digital innovation

The Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA), implemented by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) with support from the European Union and the German Government (KfW), is a continental programme designed to strengthen skills development systems and improve youth employability across Africa.

Live demonstration at Dekut
© Dedan Kimathi University of Technology 2025

The project is catalysing a new era of vocational training using metaverse, virtual reality and simulation tools to replace costly equipment with accessible, high‑impact digital learning aligned with industry needs.

This project stands as a compelling example of EU–Kenya partnership in action, addressing the growing demand for Industry 4.0 skills in Africa through practical, forward-looking, and digitally enabled training solutions. 

The project titled “Leveraging Metaverse Digital Tools and 4IR Technologies to Enhance TVET Skills Development and Innovation as a Post COVID-19 Resilience Strategy” was awarded to the Siemens Mechatronics Certification Centre at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT).

Key achievements

  • Training of more than 180 engineers and technicians,
  • Cut training costs by up to 80%, and
  • Unlimited access to complex industrial systems
  • Safe, repeatable, and high-quality practical training environments
  • Foster sustainability and local ownership through locally developed digital content

The next project phase will focus on scaling the model into a continental workforce development platform with focus on Africa’s participation in the global semiconductor value chain. The project positions Kenya and DeKUT as a regional leader in immersive, industry-aligned training and as a launchpad for scalable, continent-wide workforce development.

Dedan Kimathi University, together with strategic partners including TVETA, FESTO Didactic, ARSO, and the Swiss Smart Factory are pioneering this system to advance systemic transformation in technical and vocational skills development.