Government targets Coast youths in fresh push for TVET training and jobs

The government is stepping up efforts to connect young people in the Coast region to technical training, professional certification and employment opportunities through a grassroots mobilisation campaign targeting all six counties.

The initiative was discussed during a National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) TVET marketing and sensitisation engagement held at the Kenya Coast National Polytechnic, which brought together senior government officials and county commissioners from Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu and Taita Taveta.

Principal Secretary for Technical, Vocational Education and Training Dr Esther Thaara Muoria hosted Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy Fikirini Jacobs and Principal Secretary for Transport Mohamed Daghar, who was represented by Director of Administration Ibrahim Abdi.

Jacobs urged NGAO officers to step up community outreach and encourage more young people to enrol in technical and vocational education, noting that the expansion of industries across the Coast was creating opportunities for workers with relevant skills. He stressed the need to bridge the gap between available jobs and young people seeking employment by ensuring they acquire the competencies employers require.

Muoria highlighted the role of modular Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) in widening access to skills development, explaining that the approach allows learners to gain specific occupational competencies through shorter training programmes. She also called on administrators to identify people who have acquired skills through years of practical experience but lack formal qualifications, and help them access assessment and certification through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). The approach is expected to give experienced artisans and other skilled workers formal recognition of their abilities, potentially improving their access to employment and further training.

The State Department for TVET is also pursuing partnerships with industry players to ensure training programmes respond to actual labour market needs. These include an engagement with Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery in Lamu to develop customised training programmes that prepare young people for opportunities in the industrial sector. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding between the State Department and Consolidated Bank of Kenya provides for customised loan facilities to support young Kenyans seeking legitimate employment opportunities abroad.

Muoria urged NGAO officers to turn the engagement into practical action at the grassroots by linking young people to suitable training institutions, skills assessments and certification programmes. She said stronger collaboration between government administrators, training institutions and industry would help more young people acquire marketable skills and improve their chances of securing employment both locally and internationally.