The Zaka AI Ready Academy is a 3-month, skill-driven program that introduces higher education students to fundamentals of #DataScience and its concepts #machinelearning #ArtificialIntelligence and #cloudcomputingRobot faceBrain

The academy is focused on bridging students’ classroom knowledge to the industry by providing the necessary tools and know-how for market-ready skills!

40 UoN students were selected to participate in the 1st cohort of the Zaka AI Ready Program from Monday December 7, 2020 for three months.

The programme was virtually hosted end-to-end and for students to be successful and actively engage in the programme, Microsoft account associated with their university email address were created. This ensured that the students were added to the Microsoft Teams Channels, enrolled into Microsoft Learn for mandatory self-paced learning and redeemed free Azure cloud credits for the Lab exercises.

The Office of Career Services is happy to partner with Microsoft in skilling our students with the necessary skills and competencies they need to thrive in the job market.

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The incumbent will be responsible for

Key Responsibility Areas:

The candidate must be able to work collaboratively as well as independently and often on tight deadlines to read scripts, and storylines to understand animation requirements, prepare presentations with raw designs to the in-charge, develop storyboards for the initial stages of production, create models, drawings and illustrations electronically, Join images with background graphics and special effects and ensure synchronization of frames and audio, participate in editing process and collaboration with the whole of production group. The following are some of ideal candidate deliverables:-

• Creation of interactive animated images and environment.
• Production of high quality animations.
• creating storyboards that depict the script and narrative
• drawing in 2D and 3D to create sketches, artwork or illustrations
• designing models, backgrounds, sets, characters, objects and the animation environment
• developing the timing and pace of the movements of a character or object during the sequence of images and ensuring they follow the soundtrack and audio requirements
• using technical software packages, such as Flash, 3ds Max, Maya, Light-Wave, Softimage and Cinema 4D etc.
• building up accurate, detailed, frame-by-frame visuals
• recording dialogue and working with other content team members to composite the various layers of animation (backgrounds, special effects, characters and graphics) in order to produce the finished piece
• working to client deadlines and requirements

The role of an Animator requires storyboarding, drawing using physical and digital tools, creating frames for animation, and pulling frames together into moving pictures

Ideal Candidate Profile (Essential Attributes)

• 2 years and above experience, College Level education, Bilingual_ Fluency is spoken and written both   French and English Language, Good in 2D & 3D animation, Good in voice overs, Good with scormfiles

Both citizens and non-citizens are encouraged to apply but must ensure they have valid ID/ Alien Card and KRA pin.

Email CVs to a_serah.kathuri@centumlearning.com

cc Monika.Singh@Centumlearning.com

Deadline: Position to be filled as soon as possible

JASIRI TALENT INVESTOR:  FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Who/What is JASIRI?

JASIRI (meaning brave in Swahili) selects, develops, and funds high-potential aspiring entrepreneurs. JASIRI believes that entrepreneurial teams are at the heart of new venture creation and provides the entrepreneur with access to a diverse group of potential co-founders. JASIRI supports new ventures from idea generation to venture creation. JASIRI is supported by the Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy (Gray Philanthropy).

2. What programs does JASIRI offer?

JASIRI Talent Investor: The JASIRI Talent Investor is a fully-funded 1-year program that will guide program participants from idea generation, validation, prototyping, market entry to venture creation. The program will introduce JASIRI Fellows to equally ambitious co-founders and will support them on an individual, team, and business level.

JASIRI Accelerator: The JASIRI ACCELERATOR invests in and supports companies with market-creating innovations.

3. When do applications for the JASIRI Talent Investor open

Applications for the Talent Investor are now open. Please apply here: https://jasiri.rw/selection/

4. When do the JASIRI Talent Investor applications close?

The applications for the JASIRI Talent Investor close on 29 January 2021. Please apply here: https://jasiri.rw/selection/

5. What are the requirements of the JASIRI Talent Investor?

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
• Age 25-35
• Significant experience in your field/sector
• A demonstrable history of entrepreneurial action
• A desire to learn how to ideate, validate, prototype and formalize a market-creating venture
• A desire to meet equally ambitious co-founders
• Must be a citizen of Rwanda or Kenya
• Willingness to complete the one-year fully funded Talent Investor program on a full-time basis
• Willingness to travel to Kigali, Rwanda for a period of 3 months for the residential part of the program where teams are formed, and to continue with the remainder of the one-year full-time program in either Rwanda or Kenya.

6. What if I want to apply and I do not meet some of the Talent Investor criteria, e.g. having a Bachelor’s degree, being between 25-35?

Aspiring entrepreneurs who would like to apply for the Talent Investor, but who do not meet some of the Talent Investor criteria are requested to email enquiries@jasiri.org. The Talent Investor Selection Team will respond directly regarding a process to verify your eligibility.

7. What is the content and timelines for the JASIRI Talent Investor?

• Entrepreneurship Essentials Residential in Rwanda, Kigali: March – May 2021
• Team Formation Residential Intensive: June 2021
• Prospecting Residential Intensive: July 2021
• Validation: Residential Intensive: August 2021

Please find the detail of the programme here, click on Talent Investor Guide: https://jasiri.rw/programs/

8. I understand that the JASIRI Talent Investor is a fully funded program, what exactly does the program cover?

Team Formation & Prospecting: June 2021 -August 2021

• A flight and/or transportation from current
• place of residence to Kigali will be provided to
• each participant
• A monthly stipend of $250
• Accommodation, meals, and health insurance
• In the Validation stage, each team will
• Receive a $3000 budget for prototyping and testing

Venture Creation: September 2021 – May 2022

• A flight and transportation from Kigali to
• Nairobi will be provided to Fellows choosing
• to establish their ventures in Kenya.
• Each participant will receive a monthly stipend of
• $1000. Accommodation and meals will no longer be provided

NB: Please note attached pdf for detail around the JASIRI Talent Investor Guide.

9. If I get selected, what would disqualify me from the program?

The following may disqualify selected candidates from the program:

During Entrepreneurship Essentials:

• A selected Fellow may decide to discontinue the program
• A selected Fellow may be disqualified due to a failure to complete Entrepreneurship Essentials
• Those who have completed the course and chose to discontinue will receive their Entrepreneurship Essentials Certificate

Residential Intensive:

If a Fellow is unable to find a team or validated idea:

• Entrepreneurship Essentials Certificate
• Monthly stipend for 3 months
• Supporting an existing Talent Investor team
• Career support services

End of Program:

• Entrepreneurship Essentials Certificate
• Experience in entrepreneurship
• Experience working in a startup team
• Career support services

Re-application:

• Shortened application process

The JASIRI Talent Investor is a fully-funded 1-year program that will guide program participants from idea generation, validation, prototyping, market entry to venture creation. The program will introduce JASIRI Fellows to equally ambitious co-founders and will support them on an individual, team and business level.

Ideal Candidate

1. A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
2. Age 25-35
3. Significant experience in your field/sector
4. A demonstrable history of entrepreneurial action
5. A desire to meet equally ambitious co-founders
6. A desire to learn how to ideate, validate, prototype and formalize a market creating venture
7. Must be a citizen of Rwanda or Kenya
8. Willingness to complete the one-year fully funded Talent Investor program on a full-time basis
9. Willingness to travel to Kigali, Rwanda for a period of 3 months for the residential part of the program where teams are formed, and to continue with the remainder of the one-year full-time program in either Rwanda or Kenya.

HOW TO APPLY:
Visit the www.jasiri.org website and apply online!

For enquiries please contact
enquiries@jasiri.org

Attendance at the event is via online registration requiring an upload of your CV and we will be in contact to formally invite successful applicants.

Apply on https://tinyurl.com/EVUNKE21  

Event Date : Monday Feb 01st, 2021

Unilever IdeaTrophy is a creative marketing experience, where you will figure out how business works in real life while developing your skills and competencies. Unilever IdeaTrophy offers a unique learning experience for all participants at all stages.

Every year, a leading Unilever brand or function is selected as the sole focus of Unilever IdeaTrophy. Do you want to participate this year? Great! Please reach out to the Office of Career Services for details!

Three Kenyan teams that emerged top of the Huawei ICT Global Competition were awarded at a colourful ceremony on Monday January 18, 2021.

The event which was held at the Nairobi Serena Hotel and officiated by Amb. Simon Nabukwesi, the Principal Secretary of the State Department for University Education and Research in the Ministry of Education.

Maluki Muthusi, a 3^rd Year University of Nairobi student at the School of Computing and Informatics was awarded first prize for winning in the global finals ICT competition in the network track. The ICT competition, network track, is a skill-based competition involving hands-on experience on computer networks and network security.

The University of Nairobi’s Vice Chancellor congratulated the UoN team for their effort & dedication in showcasing technical skills to win the global Competition. He assured on the University’s commitment to continue partnering with industry partners to create opportunities for students.

Amb. Simon Nabukwesi acknowledged and commended the ICT Competitions noting the significance they accord to the Education sector. “The ICT Competition is a unique contribution that the private sector can provide that significantly enhances the quality of our ICT education. We recognize the need for different formats that are practical and hands-on to complement the theory,” the PS said. He congratulated the students and lecturers for winning these awards and outstandingly representing Kenya at the international level. He also thanked Huawei for commitment and support to building capacity amongst Kenyan students and institutions in ICT saying this will go a long way in creating jobs and digital solutions.

The 2019-2020 ICT Competition received over 6,400 student applications out of which 100 students proceeded to the national finals. Five teams later proceeded to the regional finals and eventually three teams represented Kenya at the global stage.

The winners were awarded medals, certificates and a variety of Huawei products and Huawei Exam Vouchers as rewards.

Other guests who attended the award ceremony were Prof. Joseph Rotich, Vice Chancellor, Laikipia University, Prof. Robert Kinyua Wambui Ngumi, DVC JKUAT and Mr. Johnson Ireri Kinyua, Dean of Students, University of Nairobi.

The University of Nairobi’s Staff Members and students were on Friday January 15, 2021 afternoon encouraged to appreciate the virtue of restoration and acknowledge the presence of God in everything they do.  The Inter-Faith University Prayer Day which was dubbed “The Virtual Interfaith University Prayer Day, 2021”, organized by the Office of the Dean of Students was moderated by the three University Chaplains, Catholic, Muslims and Protestants. The prayer day was aimed at celebrating the University’s 50 Years Jubilee and committing the University Community and all planned activities for the year 2021 into God’s hands.

The University’s Chaplaincy blessed the event with holy talks on topics ranging from Acknowledging God, Prioritizing God, Thanking God and being hopeful even when things seemed to have gone under. “In all our achievements in 2021 and in the future, let us acknowledge the hand of God”, said Rev. Mitei, the University’s Catholic Chaplain in his sermon.

The University’s VC, Prof. Kiama emphasized on the need for every party that is involved directly with the University to value and appreciate the virtue of restoration. “It is time for the University’s restoration as we move on this year to continue depending on God to help us in the coming years”, he reiterated. The Vice chancellor further requested the entire University community to be restored to their values, express their talents and trust in God to guide and give us all we need to achieve our goals.

In his welcoming note, the DVC Academic Affairs, Prof. Julius Ogeng’o appreciated and committed the University before God and encouraged all students and staff members on the need for the bi-annual prayers for God to continue to strengthen us as a University and individuals.

The Muslim Chaplain quoted the Holy Quran and in the spirit of the Holly Book, he encouraged the congregation to remain hopeful and not to give up nor despair even when things look unusual. “Our desire for success should be greater than fear” he reiterated.

Staff members also took the opportunity to honor, remember and pray for the families of colleagues who had passed on as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

God has done so much for the University of Nairobi in 50 years, may he walk with us as a University in all our aspirations for 2021 and in the future.