Schools Urged to Collaborate with Industry Players for Skills Development
The underemployment of young people in the labour market could be partly attributed to the lack of connection between vocational training institutions and industry.
Private sector leaders believe that the involvement of industry in developing technical training curriculum could help alleviate the shortage of technical skills in domestic and commercial sectors.
During a visit to Don Bosco Technical Institute in Nairobi, private sector leaders called for technical institutions to provide students with substantial hands-on experience to enhance their skills.
Harish Bhanderi of Atlas Plumbers and Builders suggested the need to retrain even those who have National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) certifications on the job to ensure that the training is strengthened, and what is produced meets the requirements of the industry.
To tackle the shortage of skills in the job market, the PropelA Project was launched in November 2022 to provide young people with competitive skills for self-employment or construction jobs, make vocational training more appealing to youth, and address the shortage of required skills.
The project is modelled on the Swiss dual learning approach, where the private sector and training institutions collaborate to co-create a curriculum for technical training.
Under the PropelA Project, trainees spend 75% of their time gaining hands-on experience and 25% in class in the localised model. The programme has excited industry leaders as it is the first time that the private sector is addressing the skill shortage in the industry.
Bhanderi noted that involving industry leaders in the curriculum’s formulation early enables them to direct training needs, equipping the youth with market-driven skills.
The disconnect between schools and the industry has watered down the value of certifications from technical institutions due to skill gaps when graduates join the job market.
Plumbing, for example, is one of the courses struggling with youth enrolment. However, the collaboration between technical institutions and industry provides trainees with on-site mentor training.
This involvement ensures that what students learn in class is practised in the industry on-site in the consecutive weeks.
Lillian Ndegwa, the Country Director of Swisscontact, believes that the programme offers a practical solution to Kenya’s youth unemployment problem.
The collaboration between industry and training institutions is a critical step towards developing the relevant skills for the job market and addressing youth underemployment.
Schools Urged to Collaborate with Industry Players for Skills Development