The Kisii government has partnered with USAID to train more than 25,000 youths on technical skills.
County secretary Patrick Lumumba said the skills will help the county address unemployment.
Lumumba said that youths with vocational skills like plumbing, masonry and carpentry are more likely to get employment opportunities than graduates. He urged the youth not to focus on white-collar jobs alone.
“We are incorporating several private sector organisations and the business community into this project that is aimed at improving youth employment,” he said.
Lumumba was addressing partners including the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) and Kenya Youth Employment Opportunities Project (KYEOP) at Kisii Agricultural Training College.
After the training, the youths will be offered internships in the county and some will be retained in case of any vacancy, he said.
The collaboration, Lumumba said, will transform the Vocational Education and Small Enterprise sector into highly competitive in delivering new employment opportunities.
“The county government under the leadership of Governor James Ongwae is supporting vocational training centres to adopt competency-based education and training curriculum in line with education reforms,” the secretary said.
KYEOP county coordinator Martha Otieno said the partnership will provide youths with a much-needed work experience as well as address the mismatch in skills.
“Currently, some youths are being trained on life skills, core business skills, technical skills and jobs specific skills,” she said.
County coordinator USAID KYES project David Rotich said the partnership will promote youth access to quality vocational training that meets market demands besides promoting partnership linkages to enhance resource leveraging to support youth skill development and employment.
“Youths will benefit from employment, coaching and mentoring, internships, loans and access to funding from banking institutions,” he said.
