Murang’a County Government has implored the youth to embrace vocational training by taking up the courses offered at the TVET institutions which provide hands on training through specialised programmes and marketable skills.
The County Chief officer for Youth and Technical Training Njai Mwangi told KNA that the County has 70 vocational training centres that have continued to offer over 26 technical courses and added that thousands of youth have become empowered through them.
He observed that most TVET courses take two-year duration but the county introduced a short courses programme which has become very popular with learners.
“The education stakeholders realised that the majority of young people were unable to commit the whole duration of two years to school and thus introduced the programme and they completed the courses in a short duration of time. We introduced ufundi kwa vijana programme and so far over 25,000 youths have graduated from our technical centres,” Njai said.
The ufundi kwa vijana programme offers practical skills to learners in six or less months depending on the flexibility of the learner as they can learn while still earning their livelihood in other areas.
“However those who want to advance after the six months proceed and graduate with a Grade Three test or Grade One test in the recommended two years,” the chief officer said.
Njai observed that joining a technical institution does not mean one failed in their examinations as thousands have benefited from the courses and even started their businesses and created employment for many others.
“In Murang’a town I have seen more than 20 young people who graduated from the ufundi kwa vijana programme and are earning a livelihood through the courses they received from our qualified tutors” said Njai further celebrating the fact that many others are working all over the country and have created employment for many young people.
Consequently joining vocational centres ensures that crime and substance abuse are reduced as the Form-four leavers or those who dropped out of school are fully engaged and are receiving skills that will help earn them a livelihood.
Notably with the continuous advancement in technology and the rise in automation, many skilled trades are projected to disappear and as such vocational programmes like carpentry, masonry and plumbing among others will remain in demand as they are directly linked to market needs.
“In a work setting today, only one person has been recruited to do the work meant for 20 or more people, So the youth need to be encouraged to pursue technical courses as they focus on practical skills,” stressed Njai.
By Florence Kinyua
