The managements of Technical Vocational Training (TVET) institutions have been advised to ensure effective training of the trainees in the wake of huge preference for technical institutes by learners in the country.
Thousands of school leavers today prefer training in the technical institution even after attaining university grades hence the need for the institutions authorities to ensure efficiency in imparting of skills to trainees.
The growing interest in technical courses by a majority of young school leavers, Director General, the Technical Vocational Training Authority (TVETA) Kipkurui Langat says they should never be taken for granted but should attract perfection in skills provision.
In a statement, the director said that the high pace of growth in colleges seeking registration and accreditation by the authority indicates that skills attained from technical institution are popular in the labour market locally and abroad.
Research by the authority and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has indicated that due to involvement of trainees of technical colleges in practical and hands-on training, those graduating emerge professionally better than those from universities.
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The authority, Langat clarified would continue to register institutions based on the facilities available, qualification of instructors to ensure that standards are not compromised.
He assured that the authority also engaged various professional bodies in the industries and job market to ensure managements of TVETs continued to be guided to always professionalise and modernise in a bid to provide a workforce that is digitally and technical skilled to serve the needed of the labour market.
He said that organisation such as the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) offers frequent benchmarking data to the authority especially through reports such as the Skills Needs Survey Report.
Data in such reports, the director said offer guidance on the skills needed by the workforce in various industries to ensure that TVETs align their evolving training needs with the skills required in the labour market.
Latest data from the FKE indicate that the construction sector continue to suffer some of the largest deficit of workers — an occurrence mainly blamed on some school leavers shunning some courses like masonry because it is a preserve of elderly people.
Intensive orientation of young people, stakeholders in TVETs have indicated, are needed to ensure school leavers start appreciating the potential in the construction sector perhaps one the most expanding in the economy as confirmed by the FKE.
Technologies in construction sector, the stakeholders noted have been tremendously elevated to high levels and hence campaigns should be intensified to attract schools leavers to seek technical skills suitable for entry to the industry.
The sector today encompasses various sections which in the past would have been taken for granted but now creating openings in specific sections including internal decoration, plumbing works, painting and even tiles laying.
The repackaging of courses to align with emerging needs in the construction sector and other industries has seen the introduction of short tailor made courses which are being hugely patronised by youthful learners, majority of them lasting between three and six months or one year.
Some of the courses include plumbing, floor and tile laying, painting, nails decoration — and they are gaining popularity in both rural and urban settings.
By Robert Nyagah
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