The National Industrial Training Authority(NITA) is in plans to develop specific frameworks and standards that will respond to the demands of both formal and informal sector skills patterns.
To align itself to the national skills development agenda, NITA has initiated the process of internal transformation along key thematic areas resonating around the industrial training function.
Towards this end ,the Authority recently gazetted the revision of the Industrial Training Act Cap 237 cited as "The Industrial Training(Trade Testing) Rules, 2021”.
The Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 122, June 25 2021, (Legislative Supplement No. 49), Legal Notice No. 100; gives NITA the unique power to provide vertical mobility of workers for qualifications beyond Grade 1 to Professional Mastercraftsman at KNQF level 8.
Vertical mobility is when a worker of a lower grade and status in an occupation moves to another occupation in a higher grade and status.
This means that NITA will now have the powers to upgrade industrial workers according to their perdomance
The Notice further lists up-to 154 trade areas for Assessment and Certification.
This is a progressive achievement in a process driven by NITA and fully supported by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.
Through this gazettement, NITA is keen on providing leadership within the skills transformation ecosystem to ensure that strategic policy formulation, innovative training systems , mobilization of resources to drive skills development, strategies to raise relevance, quality, increased access and equity are achieved.
The Authority's task in the provision of well-trained manpower in industry is the key driver of industrial transformation.
This as NITA plays a key role of ensuring that industry in Kenya is adequately equipped and supplied with a skilled, quality and relevant workforce for optimum productivity.
“NITA is well aware of its critical contribution of driving the skills development agenda in industry pursuant to the global, regional and national requirements and benchmarks,” The Authority said in a statement.
The informal sector in Kenya, commonly known as Jua Kali, accounts for over 80 per cent of employment in the country, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
The sector is large and growing since the livelihood of many poor Kenyans depends on informal economic activity.
According to the Economic Survey, the informal sector generated 762,800 new jobs in 2019, underlining its significance to job creation and economic growth.
Shrinking employment opportunities in the formal sector have been driving the expansion of the informal economy in Kenya.
Jua kali comprises informal enterprises, mainly small, unincorporated entities that produce goods and services.
There are an estimated five million such enterprises in Kenya employing about 12 million people.
