Digital Freelancing
About Course
As the world develops, technology revolutionizes how work is done and services are offered. In addition, employment among young people has been exacerbated by several issues, including stiff competition and a plethora of job seekers but limited job vacancies. The government can’t absorb all the job seekers in the country. As a result, there is a need for young people to explore alternatives for employment, including those that enable them to work for international organizations. Freelancing has emerged as one of the alternatives for achieving this.
Simply defined as doing work for clients without committing to full-time employment or a form of self-employment, freelancing requires individuals to search for clients, bid for jobs, execute tasks, and eventually get paid without necessarily getting into a long-term employment contract. There are platforms (marketplaces) that connects freelancers and clients.
Gig economy (the phrase used to describe the freelance industry) has experienced consistent growth over the past decade, with projections of further growth in the coming years. Despite the projected growth, majority of young people in developing countries – such as Kenya – do not have the necessary tools and resources to participate in the burgeoning economy. This can be attributed to a lot of factors among them lack of access to information, high cost of internet connectivity (which is necessary for participating in the digital economy), and lack of market-relevant skills among freelancers.
This course is purposed to equip learners with the necessary information and tools that enables them to participate in the gig economy. They will learn how to get started, the skillsets needed for success as freelancers, time management, customer service, relevant freelancing marketplaces, taxes, and building a portfolio as a freelancer, among others.
