Samburu east residents are calling for the introduction of courses which will help professionalise cottage industries in the just opened Technical and Vocational Education training (TVET) institution at Archers post town.
The first ever TVET in Samburu County has been constructed and equipped at a cost of Sh 150 million and will offer technical training to local youths and make them employable.
However, residents and local leaders have called on the college administration to introduce courses like leather work, bead work and livestock to help professionalize cottage industries.
“People who are already in the leather and bead work industry should be given a chance to come and study so that they can be accredited and recognised as competent in their line of work. It will also see a boost in enrollment,” said Waso ward MCA Paul Wonyang.
Wonyang noted that a plant operator course would assist Samburu east youths to gain employment in the LAPSET project since it will pass through Samburu County.
Speaking to KNA after inspecting training equipments, State Department for Technical and Vocational Education Training Principal Secretary Dr. Kevit Desai said that the college will be a centre for excellence on refrigeration and air conditioning but other courses will be offered.
Desai noted that refrigeration and air conditioning has a direct correlation in the realisation of the governments Big Four agenda especially in the manufacturing sector.
“In Samburu, the government will build specific value chains in areas of leather and meat processing and this will need highly trained youths in refrigeration and air-conditioning. They will also be highly trained on motor vehicle air conditioning, hotel air conditioning to enable them to gain employment and self-employment,” he said.
The PS assured that plant operator course, bead and leather work course will be introduced and given priority at the same time urging Samburu women to enroll in refrigeration course that has been seen as a male dominated field.
By Robert Githu
