The County Government of Nakuru is urging youth to embrace technical courses as a way of bridging skill gaps in the modern job market demands.
According to County Executive Committee for Education Zipporah Wambui, Kenyan youths need to embrace Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions and avoid too much focus on white collar jobs, which are dwindling by the day.
Wambui further noted that a person with technical skills was more likely to earn more than a person employed in an office with a fixed monthly pay.
She called for a change in attitude among parents and their children over the perception that TVETs were meant for students who had failed their examinations, emphasizing that such attitude was false.
“Our students should not be ashamed of joining TVETS. Technical training institutions are not meant for failures. They give trainees skills and knowledge that allow them to become job creators and not job seekers.
Governor Susan Kihika’s administration continues to prioritize TVETS as a cornerstone for youth empowerment and economic growth by equipping students with practical skills through internships and attachments, ensuring they are job-ready and competitive in the labor market,” noted the County Executive.
Speaking during the 10th graduation ceremony at Adept Institute of Technology and Professional Studies in Nakuru, where 99 graduands graduated from various courses when she represented Governor Kihika, Wambui indicated that the county Government had embarked on revamping all its Youth Polytechnics and Technical Vocational Education Training Institutes (TVETs) in a move aimed at empowering learners with industry-responsive skills that will help bridge the skills gap among TVET graduates.
She announced that the devolved unit was enhancing leadership and management of human and financial resources of its TVETS and youth polytechnics through continuous audit, as well as robust capacity building of the managers and instructors.
The County Executive stated that the institutions were further being supported to initiate income generating activities, so that they become self-reliant and models of inculcating practical lessons in project management.
Wambui indicated that globalization, technological transformation and increased competition due to liberalization have heightened the importance of youth polytechnics and TVETs.
She pointed out that the County Government was partnering with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and several private companies to ensure the students get hands-on skills by spending at least 50 percent of their training time working in relevant industries.
Nakuru County has 24 youth polytechnics spread across the 11 sub counties. According to the Technical Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA), there are two accredited public TVET institutions in the county including the Dairy Training Institute in Naivasha and the Rift Valley National Polytechnic in Njoro and a total of 18 accredited private TVET institutions.
Wambui disclosed that the county administration has set aside funds towards youth empowerment initiatives including upgrading facilities at the County’s Vocational Training Centres (VTCs), with the aim of meeting required standards and attracting more youth enrolments.
The county, she added, was exploring a model where students would be subjected to a combination of theory and practical training, in a real-life work environment through an interchange of training at a TVET institute and in a company or industry.
“We are updating the training equipment in the TVETs and youth polytechnics to reflect advancement in technology,” said Wambui.
The County Executive for Youth, Gender, Culture, Sports, and Social Services, Josephine Achieng voiced the County’s commitment to enrolling more young people in various courses that are not offered professionally at the University level, a move she said will empower them for the job-market.
“These facilities, fully supported by the county government, have provided youth with essential knowledge and skills, reflecting the county’s dedication to empowering them through technical and vocational education,” she pointed out.
Achieng observed that close links between enterprises and training centres has been at the core of Western World’s economic success, since the 19th century, adding that by building up such a TVET ecosystem in Kenya, it would provide concrete job opportunities for many unemployed youths.
She expressed appreciation for the contribution made by private sector in the formal employment, but noted with regret that in some cases, the sector was struggling to find candidates due to a mismatch between the courses offered at TVET institutions, and advised the sector to partner with tertiary institutions to develop specialized short-term practical courses, for example, on entrepreneurship, to further sharpen graduates’ business skills.
Achieng affirmed that Governor Kihika’s administration was keen to forge partnerships with the private sector in areas of research with emphasis on the changing market environment and consumer trends that will help build a valuable knowledge base that the private sector and the county government could leverage to improve technical training centres.
She further said the National Government has rolled out new technical and vocational courses as it began to implement the Competence-Based Education and Training (CBET) policy framework, aimed at delivering industry responsive skills.
Achieng emphasized the need for an effective Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) system, which includes development of occupational standards, training programmes, facilitation of training as well as assessment, which she said, will play a key role in achievement of the Big Four Government agenda and Vision 2030.
Deputy Director for TVET Rosemary Kimani, underscored the transformative role of TVET in nurturing a skilled workforce, paving the way for sustainable development and prosperity.
She noted that the programs offered are pivotal in aligning education with market demands and fostering innovation.
Kimani was happy that TVETs and polytechnics had the capacity to cure the skills gap between graduates and the job market in the country, saying that the skills gap had rendered many college leavers jobless due to lack of hands-on job skills.
“Most graduates are unable to deliver on their jobs, forcing companies, especially in the private sector, to introduce in-house training before absorbing them,’’ said Kimani.
Research shows that there are between 500,000 to 800,000 fresh graduates entering the job market each year, added Kimani.
She stated that TVETs and polytechnics in the county were helping empower the students with quality, relevant, and life skills that are market-driven.
By Jane Ngugi