Some 25,000 youths in Kisii will be trained on various technical skills in a partnership between the county government and USAID.
“Youths will benefit from employment, coaching and mentoring, internship, loans and access to funding from various banking institutions among other benefits," United States Agency for International Development county project coordinator David Rotich said.
The trained youths will easily find jobs with the business community, contractors, the civil society, youth associations and training institutions, county secretary Patrick Lumumba.
The trainers will be sourced from the National Industrial Training Authority and the Kenya Youth Employment Opportunities Project.
“We are incorporating several private sector organisations and the business community in this project aimed at improving youth employability. Our youths will be trained, offered workplace internship and late employment opportunities.
"This will drastically reduce unemployment in the county,” Lumumba said. The collaboration will also transform the Vocational Education and Small Enterprise sectors into competitive training sectors.
Youths skilled in plumbing, masonry and carpentry are more likely to get employment opportunities than fresh graduates.
KYEOP county coordinator Martha Otieno said the youths will be trained on live skills, core business skills, technical skills and jobs specific skills.