An impressive 179 innovations, 14 skill areas, and 25 research papers were showcased during the Technical Training and TVETs Fair held in Kericho County.
The two-day event, hosted by the Kericho Township TVC in conjunction with Kimasian TTI, was titled the Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions (KATTI) South Rift Region TVET Fairs, Innovation, Research, Robotics, and Skills Contest 2025. It brought together innovators, researchers, and trainees from across the region.
The Director of TVETs at the State Department for TVET, Dr Joseph Kanyi, who represented the Principal Secretary, Dr Esther Muoria, presided over the function, where he hailed it as a vital platform for nurturing innovation, skills development, and industry collaboration.
In a speech read on her behalf, PS Muoria stated that this year’s theme, “TVETs for Sustainable Development: Science, Technology, Innovation for Economic Resilience,” underscores the role of vocational training in driving the nation’s economic transformation.
The TVETs fair and skills competition is more than just an event; it is a showcase of creativity, innovation, and technical excellence. They provide a unique opportunity for young people to showcase their talents, test their skills against the best, and demonstrate how TVETs can directly respond to the needs of industry,” she stated.
The PS revealed that the Ministry had rolled out strategies to make TVETs a driver of innovation and enterprise, including establishing incubation hubs, strengthening industry linkages, and promoting applied research.
She further emphasised that the competitions help benchmark local skills against international standards, build global competitiveness, and inspire confidence in trainees while boosting their employability.
“Innovation and competition are at the heart of TVET’s contribution to national development. They bring together science, technology, creativity and determination, all essential in building a resilient economy,” she added, officially declaring the fair open.
Earlier, Dr Kanyi, who is also a personal assistant and technical advisor in the office of the PS, urged institutions to adopt sustainability by transforming innovations into commercial ventures and strengthening industrial linkages.
Kanyi challenged participants to go beyond demonstrations and develop market-ready products that could be patented and sold.
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“Let us move away from the obvious. Innovations should not only work but also be attractive, marketable and ready for commercialisation. This is the only way to make sense of these fairs,” Kanyi added.
He added that TVET institutions should strive to become self-sustaining by producing goods and services for their own use, their peers, and the broader market.
The annual contest brings together trainees from technical training institutions across the South Rift region, offering a stage to showcase green technologies, ICT solutions, manufacturing innovations, agribusiness projects, and service industry skills.
The winners of this year’s competitions will proceed to the national TVET Fairs and Skills Contest later in the year.
The KATTI Secretary General, who is also the Principal of Kericho Township TVC, said the fair had brought together 31 TVETs from the South Rift counties of Kericho, Bomet, Nakuru, Narok, and Nandi. The students were to showcase their skill innovation in various fields, including agriculture, Automobiles, and Health systems, among others.
“The fair is meant to showcase the skills students have learned in their various fields and how they can be used to provide solutions in their immediate environments, and also generate income, “he added.
The winners at the fair will proceed to the national level, and later, the best will advance to China, where the World Skills Competition will be held.
By Benedict Ng’etich.
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