WorldSkills Kenya (WSK) has signed a partnership agreement with WorldSkills Germany (WSG), a move that will see Kenya establish a WorldSkills movement and organize its inaugural national skills competition.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed at a virtual ceremony, will allow WorldSkills Germany and Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA), the official organizational agency representing Kenya at WorldSkills International, determine how they will collaborate over the next three years, to establish and expand a National WorldSkills movement in Kenya and their participation in international WorldSkills competitions.
The signing ceremony that was presided over by TVET Authority (TVETA) Director General and Chief Executive Officer, WorldSkills Kenya, Dr Kipkirui Langat and the Chief Executive Officer of WorldSkills Germany Hubert Romer, was witnessed by the TVETA Board of Directors Chair, Prof Ahmed Ferej and WSK Official Delegate Prof Erich Ogur, among others.
The partnership is also expected to expand and strengthen the organizational structures of WorldSkills Kenya, develop the skills teams, train experts in different skill areas, set up performance centres, prepare experts and participants for international competitions, as well as lobby German companies and organizations in the private sector to sponsor activities of WorldSkills Kenya.
During the event, the Principal Secretary in the State Department of Vocational and Technical Training, Dr Margaret Mwakima, who was represented by the Deputy Director of TVET, Mr John Tuwei, said Kenya is delighted to have Germany as a mentor and a partner.
“We hope that through the guidance of the official delegates and skills experts from World Skills Germany, we will be able to come up with a strong organizational structure that will aggregate inclusive and competent pool of experts to run the day to day affairs of WorldSkills Kenya,” Dr Mwakima said.
TVETA Director-General and Chief Executive Officer WSK, said the partnership has been achieved after a rigorous legal process between the two countries.
“We are happy to enter into this partnership because as a government, we joined WorldSkills Competition, to strengthen the skills development of our TVET sector and help our young people acquire relevant skills that can allow them to get opportunities at the international stage,” Dr Langat said.
He announced that WSK has already picked 16 skill areas that the Country will focus on, which include Mechatronics, Fashion Technology, Wall and Floor tiling, Digital Challenge, Restaurant Service, among others.
Dr Langat, however, noted that for a start, the country will only participate in three skill areas at the WorldSkills Africa Competition in Namibia scheduled for 2022 before taking part in the global competition in Shanghai, China.
CEO WorldSkills Germany, Hubert Romer, said his organization is happy to mentor Kenya and expand the WorldSkills movement in the country.
“We are pleased to be able to support Kenya in the future with the development of the National WorldSkills organization and the further development of vocational training,” said Hubert Romer, CEO and Official Delegate of WorldSkills Germany, adding that the partnership is on an equal footing, where both governments will continue to learn from each other.
Kenya’s started participating in WorldSkills Competition in 2018, when the country was invited to participate in the Africa Union Skills Competition in Kigali, Rwanda, and later as an observer to WorldSkills Competition in Kazan, Russia in 2019.
By Bernadette Khaduli
