By Erick Nyayiera
Managers of the various vocational training centres in Siaya County have pleaded with the County Government of Siaya to employ technical trainers across the institutes to enable effective training.
Led by Kennedy Achola, the manager of Lucy Onono Vocational Training Centre in Bondo Sub-county, the trainers decried the serious challenge posed on the implementation of effective training programmes due to lack of trainers.
Achola regretted that as managers they have had to source for services of contractual trainers.
He also lamented that trainees too suffer rejection when seeking industrial attachment as most employers want to be paid to allow trainees into their industries for work experience.
“We have the challenge of our trainees struggling to find attachment; the county governments do not have industrial plants or yards where the trainees in our various training programmes can be placed. Most contractors and even the enterprise owners of the established jua kali businesses in major towns demand for some form of payment in order to accommodate our trainees,” said Acholla.
The manager opined that the crisis at various VTCs, especially as regards industrial attachment, must be addressed with urgency, saying county governments should take an active role in ensuring trainees are assisted.
He, nevertheless, encouraged the youths, irrespective of their level of education, to consider registering for vocational and technical training courses, which will resultantly make them job creators.
He was speaking during the Lucy Onono graduation ceremony where he also lauded the national government for subsidizing technical training across the country, resulting in significant increase in enrollments.
“We praise the government for the capitation that has helped encourage the uptake of the courses. Our training centres continue to register remarkable growth, including in infrastructural development,” said Acholla
The manager observed that the enrollment of girls had significantly increased, noting that the ratio of boys to girls in most institutions now stood at 1:1.
