By Hilton Mwabili
Some 38,714 candidates have started their national trade test national examinations at various government institutions offered by the National Industrial Training Authority NITA countrywide.
Speaking during a tour to inspect and monitor the exams at the Mombasa based NITA center, Labour Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui reiterated the government’s commitment to seal the gap within technical skills and create jobs.
“As you know a number of people in the informal sector we have over 18 million Kenyans working, 3 million are formal and 15 million are in the informal sector, that means the bulk of 75 million is in the informal sector, the challenge is skills, we have people who have learnt but they don’t have any professional document to support their skills,” said Chelugui.
He said the government is keen to enhance skills goals to produce adequate and well trained manpower to drive the agenda is a key enabler to the big four.
“A country’s economic growth and competitiveness must be oriented towards equipping and producing young people who have both strong foundational skills as well as specific skills acquired through skill upgrading to meet the demand for job-specific skills,”said Chelugui.
Chelugui noted that the 38,714 candidates are from 401 registered NITA accredited centers, while 8,000 students from home care management are doing the exam in 36 centers countrywide.
Chelugui accompanied by Stephen Ogenga NITA director general and Karoli Otino, trade test supervisor at NITA Mombasa, visited Kisauni Youth Polytechnic and Avoti Homecare Training center assessment workshops where exams were undergoing concurrently.
The students undertook exams in the workshops that undertake works like Textile workshop, Mechanical workshop, refrigeration workshop, plumbing workshop and electrical workshop among others.
“We attach a lot of importance in these exams because in the past we had challenges in skills and as we industrialize our country and grow our economy we require skilled workforce, from after the exams the country will have acquired professional and skilled technicians,” said Chelughui.
He said the government through partnerships with NITA and vocational training institutions, Tertiary institutions targets about 120,000 Kenyans to be trained so that it can address at least 10 percent of form four leavers who miss university and create employment.
He said the graduates will play a pivotal role in boosting skilled high skilled experience in different sectors like shipping sector, Transport sector, Mining sectors, construction, motor vehicle and textile industry in the country.
“We have encouraged them to use the knowledge to employ themselves, because they already have the skills, the problem has been the financial muscle to buy equipment, but they should be encouraged to be self employed,” said Chelugui.
This happens amid increased demand for technical jobs in Kenya are increasing but supply is low leading to firms opting to import labour.
Nita has been training students in technical areas such as refrigeration, plumbing, electrical engineering, masonry among other units.
The mandate of the Authority is to promote the highest standards in the quality and efficiency of industrial training in Kenya and ensure an adequate supply of properly trained manpower at all levels in the industry.
