- Programme seeks to engage youth with technical and vocational education and training for the blue economy
- Canadian envoy says the blue economy has a lot of opportunities for young people
The Canadian government has launched a programme to support Kenyan youth venture into the blue economy.
Canadian high commissioner Lisa Stadelbauer said the plan, which already works in her country, seeks to engage youth with technical and vocational education and training for the blue economy.
Speaking in Malindi after a day of interaction with youths a the Elimu Resource Centre that offers training on technology and innovation, the envoy said the blue economy has a lot of opportunities.
In Canada, she said, the initiative gives a chance to youths to do marketable courses that get jobs immediately after completion.Y
The programme has already started in Malindi to sensitize the youth to join TVETs which are offering courses that will help them acquire skills and get direct jobs.
''We are helping young people in Malindi get skills to take part in the blue economy,'' she said.
Last year, the Canadian embassy co-hosted with the Kenyan government the sustainable blue economy conference in Nairobi which brought together 17,000 delegates from 162 countries.
Stadelbauer said since then they thought of programmes for the youth on how to benefit from the blue economy.
She said the Canadian High Commission works with the UN-Habitat and the Youth Congress to explore ways of sensitizing the youth to know exactly what the blue economy is and the opportunities available.
''The aim is to put into the children's mind what blue economy means, that it's not just about wave science, ocean science, shipping. It is tourism and it is aquaculture and all those things and how they can get all those skills if they need to get jobs,'' she said.
The ambassador said Canadian community colleges were working on strengthening curriculum, upgrading equipment so that the students can get modern skills.
''Most importantly, I think it is connecting the modern community colleges in Kenya with local industries to make sure polytechnics are working hand in hand with industries so that the students train for jobs that will be available in six months or one year,'' she said.
The high commissioner said it will be upon the industries to tell the polytechnics what kind of skills they are missing.
She said Elimu Resource Centre was an example of a hub where youth can get knowledge in the digital era and become innovative.
The high commissioner said Canada was interested in the Coast to ensure youths don't miss opportunities of the blue economy.
Nina Chung, president of Elimu Resource Centre, said the Malindi Youth Information Forum was meant to giving the youth a chance to express their thoughts.
''We know our youths are good at using their phones to download videos and music but we want to make them use the same phone skills to figure out what they can do for their future and network themselves,'' she said.