The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) has rolled out a partnership with several private companies to equip local youth in Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSMEs) with hands-on skills in an industry setting.
KNCCI has indicated that the venture is geared towards bridging the skills gap among the targeted beneficiaries by ensuring they were interned at relevant industries.
Nakuru Branch KNCCI chairperson Said Ali said the program that will initially be rolled out in private manufacturing industries based in Kisumu, Nakuru, Mombasa and Nairobi Counties would explore a model, where the concerned interns are subjected to combination of theory and practical training in a real-life work environment through an interchange of training at their workplaces and in a company.
Ali noted that lack of linkages between vocational training and industry was a major contributing factor to youth underemployment in the labour market.
He stated that the private sector contends that involving the industry in technical training of the country’s youth could help address the shortage of technical skills in the domestic and commercial sectors.
While urging technical institutions to allow students to spend a large portion of their time gaining hands-on experience, Ali said strengthening the collaborative linkages between the county governments and the private sector was one of the most effective ways of driving the Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) agenda as students can be exposed to the real world of industry and business.
Speaking in Nakuru when he held a meeting with representatives of over 200 MSMEs, the chairperson pointed out that close links between enterprises and training centres have been at the core of Western World’s economic success since the 19th century.
According to Ali, the program themed, Facilitating Access to an Integrated System of Vocational Training support for Independent Living and economics Inclusion of Youth, has been designed to make sure vocational skills are strengthened so that what is coming out is what is required in the industry.
“We want to provide young people with competitive skills for self-employment or construction jobs to make vocational training more appealing to youth and to address the shortage of required skills in the job market,” he said.
The private sector, the chairperson noted, contributes over 70 percent of formal employment, but in some cases, they struggle to find candidates due to a mismatch between the courses offered in TVET institutions.
Further, he said the disconnect between the industry and TVET institutions has watered down the value of certifications of the graduates from technical institutions owing to skill-gap when joining the job market.
Unlike other developing regions, sub-Saharan Africa’s population is becoming more youthful and there has been a clear need to invest in Africa’s youth as Africa has the most youthful population and is the fastest growing region in the world.
According to a report by UNDP, by 2055 the continent’s youth population (aged 15 – 24) is expected to be more than 452 million.
In response, Ali said there should be a strong focus on technological skills that can prepare young adults for future careers that involve augmented intelligence. At the same time, he added there is still a need to address the existing lack of basic skills.
“Industrialized countries such as India, Japan, China, and Germany have heavily invested in their technical institutions to provide technical skills to their youth, which is a necessary ingredient to any economy that wants to maintain an upward trajectory,” he pointed out.
Grace Achieng from the County Probation office said the department had started to support youth in probation hostels to acquire skills in various disciplines including engineering, carpentry and joinery, refrigeration and air conditioning, welding, masonry, mechanics, electrical and plumbing.
She stressed the need for youths in probation hostels to be integrated in the program and acquire skills to be independent after being reintegrated into the society.
“We have been urging youths in probation hostels to embrace blue-collar jobs as a sustainable alternative to the elusive white-collar jobs.
She stated that the world over, the labour market was transiting from theoretical expertise to practical-based skills, adding that a growing number of Kenyans with good academic qualifications were unemployed because of a mismatch of skills and career choices.
Achieng revealed that there was a growing shortage of technicians and artisans in the country and noted that in order to achieve the Kenya Vision 2030, the country needs 90,000 technicians and over 400,000 artisans to plug the current shortage.
She added, “We boast of having an educated youth, whose glossy academic qualifications are a mismatch with practical industry needs. Our educational institutions are churning out more quantity surveyors, engineers and architects against a backdrop of growing worrisome shortage of vocational skills and competencies such as plumbing, electrical installation, welding, brick laying, painting, carpentry, tailoring among others. If we go on like this, we will start bringing in expatriate artisans and craftsmen.”
However, Achieng expressed optimism that the situation was steadily improving as the national government’s initiative to invest in new equipment, modern technologies and infrastructure and qualified training staff was paying off, as student enrolments in TVETS had increased.
By Anne Mwale
