By Asa Maina
The Principal Secretary for Post-Training and Skills Development Alfred Cheruiyot has said that21 out of 31 public universities in the country have established career services offices.
Speaking at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT) during the official launch of the institution’s Office of Career Services, Cheruiyot said that six out of eleven national polytechnics have opened the offices.
He added that only 19 out of the over a thousand TVET institutions have operationalized the office.
However, he expressed optimism that other institutions will soon open the careers centres.
DeKUT Office of Career Services was established late last year with the vision of initiating and supporting efforts towards helping students get ready for the world of work and entrepreneurship.
This was as a result of the Ministry of Education’s goal to have all institutions of higher learning establish an office of career services.
The PS lauded the approach by DeKUT as elaborate, saying it was not only detailed on how the students will pursue certain courses, but also provides linkages to industry.
He said the department will also benchmark with other universities worldwide so that the information can be shared.
He pointed out that the move will help students get quality education geared towards employment, competence and ensure they have the skills set for various industries.
Cheruiyot said the ministry will also engage other industry players such as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, among others.
“We no longer want to work in isolation as education providers. We want to make sure that we provide useful knowledge to the society for the industrial and economic growth of the country,” he said.
He said the government had embarked on a journey to ensure that it’s not only providing education but also ensuring the personnel produced are all round.
The office of career services will cater for several stakeholders like students, faculty, administration, employers, staff and alumni.
“To achieve its mandate, the Office of Career Services seeks to offer services and linkages between industries and students, intra-institutional exchange, high school recruitment, establishing an alumni network, among others,” he said.
He added that the office will assist students to understand and comply with institutional requirements through constant communication using emails or lectures.
The office will also assist students in decision-making and career direction, yet provide clear and accurate information regarding institutional policies, procedures and programmes.
It will also assist the students in the selection of courses and other educational dispensations such as internship. For good measure, it will collect and distribute data regarding students’ needs as well as develop and maintain a career resources library that includes employers and candidates assessments.
The PS urged all tertiary institutions to set up the offices of career services to enable them address the needs of students and guide them on how to select jobs and create opportunities for self-employment.
DeKUT Vice-Chancellor Ndirangu Kioni said their Office of Career Services took over some existing functions of the college such as industrial attachment coordination. It also annexed some functions concerning post-graduation employability of its students and alumni.
The issue of establishing offices of career services came up in 2018 when the Ministry of Education launched a handbook to guide all tertiary institutions in the formation of the office.
