High-Proposition Opportunity: Turn Your ICT Degree Into Industry-Ready Experience Through Kenya’s Presidential Digital Talent Programme
The Presidential Digital Talent Programme (PDTP) Cohort XI is now accepting applications from eligible young Kenyan ICT graduates seeking to gain practical workplace experience, professional mentorship and industry exposure.
Implemented by the ICT Authority on behalf of the Ministry of Information, Communications and The Digital Economy (MICDE), the programme is designed to help bridge the gap between the capabilities of Kenya’s emerging ICT workforce and the evolving requirements of employers.
With 3,700 ICT graduates already having benefited from the initiative, Cohort XI offers another opportunity for talented young professionals to strengthen their technical capabilities, build professional networks and prepare for employment across Kenya’s growing digital economy.
Application Deadline: 7 September 2026
The Presidential Digital Talent Programme is a strategic intervention designed to develop and sustain high-end ICT talent in Kenya.
The programme aligns with the country’s National ICT Master Plan and focuses on preparing young ICT graduates to transition successfully into employment.
Participants gain practical workplace experience while receiving mentorship and opportunities to develop professional networks. Rather than relying solely on academic qualifications, the programme seeks to expose participants to real-world working environments where they can apply and strengthen their technical knowledge.
For recent graduates struggling to bridge the gap between university and employment, the programme can provide an important pathway into Kenya’s ICT ecosystem.
Five Specialization Tracks Available
Cohort XI offers opportunities across several high-demand areas of the digital economy.
1. Networks & Digital Infrastructure
Participants interested in network technologies and digital infrastructure can develop practical experience in an area that supports connectivity and digital transformation across organizations and communities.
2. Software Development & Artificial Intelligence
The software development and AI track is designed for graduates interested in building digital solutions and developing technical capabilities in one of the fastest-evolving areas of technology.
3. Information Security
With cybersecurity becoming increasingly important to governments, businesses and institutions, the Information Security track offers an opportunity for graduates interested in protecting systems, networks and digital information.
4. Data Analytics
The Data Analytics specialization is suited to graduates interested in using data to generate insights, support decision-making and solve organizational problems.
5. Multimedia: Graphic Design & Digital Marketing
Graduates with skills or interests in visual communication, digital content and marketing can pursue the Multimedia track, which combines creative capabilities with digital communication.
Who Is Eligible?
The programme has specific eligibility requirements, so prospective applicants should carefully review the criteria before submitting an application.
Applicants must be Kenyan youth aged between 21 and 29 years and must currently be unemployed.
They must also have graduated from a recognized institution within the last two years, from January 2024 onward, with First Class or Second Class Honours – Upper Division, or an equivalent qualification.
The programme is open to recent graduates in BSc ICT and relevant engineering disciplines, including:
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering
- Telecommunication Engineering
- Systems Engineering
- Software-related engineering
- Security-related engineering
Applicants must also demonstrate technical competence in their relevant core specialization before the interview stage.
Still Waiting to Graduate?
Final-year students who are awaiting graduation up to December 2026 may also be considered.
Such applicants must provide a recommendation or reference letter from their university confirming, with the appropriate signature and stamp, that they are expected to graduate with First Class or Upper Second-Class Honours.
This provides eligible students nearing graduation with an opportunity to prepare for the programme before formally receiving their degree certificates.
Important Previous Internship Requirement
Applicants must not have previously undertaken a Government of Kenya internship programme.
This requirement is important and should be checked carefully before applying.
The programme is intended to provide workplace exposure to eligible young graduates who have not previously benefited from a Government of Kenya internship.
Nationwide Deployment
Successful candidates must be prepared to work full-time from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and be willing to be deployed to a Ministry, County, Department or Agency (MCDA) across any of Kenya’s 47 counties.
This nationwide deployment requirement means applicants should be prepared to work outside their current county if selected.
The programme also strongly encourages applications from women, persons with disabilities and graduates from Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) regions.
What Participants Stand to Gain
The programme’s central objective is to help young ICT graduates become more competitive in the labour market.
Participants can gain:
- Practical workplace experience
- Professional mentorship
- Technical exposure
- Professional networks
- Experience applying academic knowledge in real work environments
- Greater understanding of employer expectations
- Opportunities to strengthen employment readiness
For recent graduates, these experiences can help transform academic qualifications into demonstrable professional capabilities.
Application Requirements
Applications must be completed online through the official recruitment platform.
Applicants should prepare the required documentation, including:
- National ID card or passport
- KCSE certificate
- Degree certificate or university recommendation/reference letter
- Passport-size photograph
Applicants with qualifications obtained from foreign universities must provide the required KNQA verification certificate. Where necessary, an official translation from the relevant embassy should also be provided.
Candidates whose qualifications use a GPA system must attach documentation showing the corresponding Kenyan public university GPA equivalent.
Applicants who have not yet collected their degree certificate should provide a Dean-signed and stamped letter confirming the expected First Class or Upper Second-Class Honours award.
Submit Your Application Carefully
All applications must be submitted online through the designated recruitment platform.
Paper-based and email applications will not be accepted.
Applicants should also ensure that all information submitted is accurate. The programme warns that providing false or misleading information may result in serious penalties, including a fine of up to KSh 200,000 or imprisonment for up to two years.
Only successfully submitted applications made within the specified application period will be considered.
Application Details
Programme: Presidential Digital Talent Programme (PDTP)
Cohort: XI
Implementing Agency: ICT Authority
Ministry: Ministry of Information, Communications and The Digital Economy
Target Group: Young Kenyan ICT graduates
Age: 21–29 years
Employment Status: Unemployed
Education: First Class or Upper Second-Class Honours, or equivalent
Eligible Graduation Period: From January 2024
Work Schedule: Full-time, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Deployment: Any MCDA across Kenya’s 47 counties
Specializations: Networks & Digital Infrastructure; Software Development & AI; Information Security; Data Analytics; Multimedia, Graphic Design & Digital Marketing
Application Deadline: 7 September 2026
High-Proposition Tile
YOUR ICT DEGREE IS THE START—NOT THE FINISH.
Build industry-ready skills, gain real workplace experience, connect with professionals and position yourself for Kenya’s digital economy through Presidential Digital Talent Programme Cohort XI.
Applications close: 7 September 2026.
Eligible young Kenyan ICT graduates are encouraged to review the requirements carefully and submit their applications through the official PDTP recruitment platform before the deadline.
