A total of 21,582 students in the country’s 483 Technical Vocational Training Centres are expected to sit for the 2025 Trade Test Exams this April.
According to the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), this is one of the government’s measures to help youth find employment through the skills they gain in Technical Vocational Training Centres.
Speaking during the launch of the exams at Dzitsoni Technical Vocational Training Centre in Kilifi, Principal Secretary for the Department of Labour and Skills Development Shadrack Mwadime, said the exams would help youths in finding jobs locally and abroad.
The PS said that the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) would also issue certificates to people who have job experience in various fields but are yet to join TVETs after sitting for the Trade Test exams.
“As you know these exams are practical, theory is only 10% and from the practicals, students will be tested on the skills they have pursued but apart from that those who possess experience and skills through the jobs they do will be issued with certificates after being administered with the Trade Test Exams,” he said.
The PS said the government has so far signed human rights bilateral agreements with foreign countries in a bid to curb violation of labour laws and that plans were underway to deploy Labour Attachees in foreign countries to know where Kenyan employees are located, how they are faring and be able to contact them in case of need.
“With the assistance of the Parliamentary Labour Committee, we will deploy Labour Attachees because that is why other countries like the Philippines are ahead of us since they can know where their citizens are working and their terms and conditions of work,” he noted.
On the same note, Mwadime warned rogue employment and travel agencies that action would be taken against them adding that his department had already revoked 500 licenses on suspicion of defrauding citizens while investigations are underway.
Mwadime further indicated that the State Department had initiated a vetting process where it is mandatory for each Director of the Employment Agency concerned to appear in person for vetting to eliminate the possibility of the revoked company registering under another name.
“We have deregistered about 500 of them and we are deregistering even more. We are working very closely with the security agencies and I am happy with the kind of assistance we are getting from them now. What we are insisting now are the directors of the employment agencies to appear before the vetting committee and we are not saying the management but the directors in person,” he said.
On his part, the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) chair Aden Ali Noor, said the authority conducts the exams three times a year; April, August and December with 150,000 students training annually adding that this year’s series would be offering training in 43 types of skills ranging from plumbing, carpentry, electricians, motor vehicle mechanics and others.
He also noted that the certificates issued by the authority are from the United Kingdom and are internationally recognized.
We normally train about 150,000 students per year in different trade areas and in this series, we are training 43 different skills all over the 47 counties. Instead of our children engaging in drug abuse and sitting idle, we encourage them to join TVETs for skills development,” he said.
Kilifi South Member of Parliament and Chair Parliamentary Labour Committee in the National Assembly Ken Chonga urged the youth to dispel the misconception that Technical Vocational Training Centres were for failures in school because through TVETs, young people could develop themselves through their skills.
“Let’s encourage our youth and tell them that one can develop their skills in Technical Vocational Training Centers and prosper in life,” the MP said.
So far, only 7,000 students have enrolled in Technical Training Vocational Centers in Kilifi County compared to the 40,000 targeted by the county government of Kilifi.
By Stephen Mrira
