Three public technical training institutions (TTIs) have unveiled strategic business plans as part of ongoing upgrade to become Centers of Excellence (CoE).
This is targeted at boosting skill gap and achieving success in the country’s manufacturing sector, mainly the automotive industry.
The upgrade for the TVET institutions is part of a joint Kenyan-German initiative for Youth Employment that aims to provide young people with employment opportunities through practical, industry-led vocational training.
To strengthen their capacity to successfully implement the pioneer cooperative (dual) vocational training model, the TTIs developed the strategic business plans.
The process involves the TVET Authority, the State Department for Vocational and Technical Training and various experts from the private sector, led by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM).
This is in line with the Kenyan-German government agreement to establish the Sustainable Economic Development – Promotion of Youth Employment and TVET as a new priority area of their development cooperation.
One of the major objectives under the programme is to establish CoEs in Industrial Mechatronics at Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology, Automotive Mechatronics at Nairobi Technical Training Institute and Autobody Building Technology at Thika Technical Training Institute.
Cumulatively, the initiative implemented through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and KfW Development Bank will see €28.4 million (Sh3.6 billion)invested in the first phase.
This includes the cost of equipping the CoEs with modern training equipment.
New competency-based curricula (level 6) have been developed in close cooperation with the industry to ensure hands-on learning for the trainees.
Additionally, training of trainers who will train in the three courses is ongoing.
Leading Kenyan and international companies will cooperate with the three technical training institutions and provide industry-based training and mentorship which covers about 50 per cent of the training duration.
Thus is under the newly developed curricula.
The courses have an option of double certification: Level 6 Certificate by TVET Curriculum Development Assessment andCertification Council (TVET-CDACC) and a German C-Level Certifcate offered by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in East Africa.
“TVET is a super enabler of the Big Four Agenda and Vision 2030,” State Department for Vocational and Technical Training PS Julius Jwan said.
Germany’s Deputy Ambassador to Kenya Thomas Wimmer re-affirmed his country’s commitment in creating linkages between the training institutions and industry for skills development.
“The key to making TVET successful is to create important linkages between the players,” Wimmer said.
TVETs are expected to help reduce the acute youth unemployment that has doubled as an effect of the coronavirus pandemic.
It will also fire-up Kenya in the path to attain the Big Four Agenda and Vision 2030, with reference to the automobile and manufacturing sectors.
