We investigate the dynamics of a digital and data-driven economy: how the capacity and ability to collect, use, and analyze massive amounts of machine-readable information can transform wealth creation and service delivery techniques. This aspect of our work is particularly relevant in the contemporary world where digital technology is changing economic activity, with traditional brick-and-mortar economic activities giving way under the influence of the World Wide Web, Internet and blockchain technologies, thus, providing a great opportunity for young people interested in working in the cultural and creative industry. This strand of our work is timely as half of the African population will be living in cities by 2030, a proportion that is projected to rise to 60% by 2050. Our strategy, therefore, focuses on how young people are transmogrifying from traditional job-seeking to job creation with the internet, the transition from the physical workplace to virtual working, and the impact of this new norm on diverse social indicators. We will examine the significance of technology utilization and increased utilization of digital media platforms, such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Google and how adopting technological designs with the needs of young users for optimization could foster employment in the potential creative economy. In this strand, seeks to address critical sub-themes such as:
- Potential of the creative and cultural economy for youth employment
- Strategies to stimulate youth employment in the industry
- Anchoring creative skills development to the capability approach foundation
- Effect of digital technology on total expenditure and media spending
- Educational foundations to accelerate creative skills development
- Policy formulation to foster youth employment in the creative industry