Five hundred Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) trainees have been challenged to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies to develop innovative solutions and create employment opportunities.
The trainees, drawn from institutions across the country, attended a two-day mentorship forum in Nairobi organised by the Equity Group Foundation (EGF) under its Wings to Fly programme.
The meeting brought together second- and third-year students pursuing Level 5 certificate and Level 6 diploma courses. Discussions focused on digital skills, entrepreneurship, leadership, career development and professional networking.
Held under the theme "Smart Skills for a Smart World: Revolutionising for the Digital Age", the forum sought to prepare the students for the changing demands of the labour market.
EGF General Manager for Education and Leadership Development Hannah Kimani urged the students to identify challenges within their communities and use technology to develop practical solutions.
She encouraged them to acquire digital skills, work together on innovative ideas and take part in innovation competitions and hackathons.
EGF Associate Director for Innovation and Technology Johnny Falla said AI was changing the workplace, requiring young people to acquire skills that would enable them to participate actively in technological advancement.
He challenged the students to move beyond being consumers of digital products and instead develop technologies that address societal challenges.
EGF Director of Advocacy Boniface Kinoti urged the beneficiaries to pursue entrepreneurship and self-reliance, reminding them that individual progress should not be measured against the achievements of others.
The forum also gave beneficiaries an opportunity to share how they had overcome financial, social and cultural barriers through education.
Henry Sofali, who is pursuing a Level 6 Diploma in Information Communication Technology at Kenya Coast National Polytechnic, recounted how the death of his family's breadwinner and disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic threatened his education. He said support through the EGF TVET scholarship programme enabled him to resume his studies.
Sofali has since volunteered with his local church's media team, where he offers livestreaming, computer maintenance, and network management services.
Another beneficiary, Zamzam Godana, a Clinical Medicine and Surgery student at Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), Kabarnet, shared her journey of challenging cultural expectations while pursuing her ambitions.
Godana, from Isiolo County, won Miss Tourism Kenya in 2025 before becoming the inaugural Miss Tourism East Africa in 2026. She said her ambition to become a medical professional remained strong, partly driven by the challenges arising from inadequate access to doctors that affected her family.
Meanwhile, EGF is expected to roll out a new scholarship programme this month targeting 1,200 young people for training in food and agriculture.
The initiative is intended to complement government efforts to increase TVET enrolment to two million learners by the end of 2026.
Reader Discussion (0)
Sign in to comment