‘We Have No Jobs For You’: Gachagua Advises Graduates in Face of Limited Job Prospects
Vice President Rigathi Gachagua has urged university graduates to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors because the government cannot provide enough employment for everyone.
Gachagua urged the graduates at the 40th Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and the 9th Pan African University Institute of Basic Sciences Technology and Innovation (PAUSTI) graduation of 4,299 students in Kiambu County on Friday to be innovative as the government continues to implement job creation programs.
“I don’t want to sit here and lie to you that we have jobs for you. We are going to create them with you,” he said.
As he challenged tertiary institutions to evaluate the impact of their programs further, DP Gachagua urged them to focus on market-driven courses pertinent to Kenya’s economic needs, as white-collar jobs have been decreasing annually.
He stated that the administration headed by President William Ruto was laying the groundwork for the creation of digital jobs.
“We are laying the infrastructure; learning institutions must provide the requisite skills for the youth to become truly global workers even from the comfort of their village. Technology is here to shrink the global office into our palms,” he stated.
Gachagua emphasized the importance of preparing students not only for exam success but also for addressing challenges that contribute to inclusive growth.
According to him, achieving this goal requires focusing on enhancing students’ capacity in analytical thinking and creative skills.
The Vice President urged the graduates to enter the business world, stating that there are numerous opportunities in entrepreneurship and that they should use the skills acquired in school to improve their lives.
Gachagua advised individuals to maintain focus and adopt a proactive mindset, urging them not to be deterred by discouragement from others. He emphasized the importance of disregarding negative influences, such as naysayers, pessimists, and envious individuals.
Instead, Gachagua encouraged individuals to remain determined and pursue their aspirations. He highlighted the satisfaction that comes from nurturing an idea and witnessing its successful realization.
As the government is committed to addressing rising unemployment, he praised the housing program, stating that it would generate employment opportunities for various construction industry professionals.
According to Gachagua, the Finance Bill of 2023 has been successfully passed by the National Assembly after two nights of deliberation.
One of the key provisions of the bill is the establishment of a housing fund aimed at constructing 200,000 houses on an annual basis.
The implementation of this initiative is expected to create employment opportunities for professionals such as architects, quantity surveyors, building engineers, electricians, and plumbers.
The education sector, particularly universities, is projected to be a significant beneficiary of this development.
The DP stated that the government is also allocating resources to the implementation of the Competence-Based curriculum for self-employment skills in order to combat future unemployment.
Gachagua stated that tertiary institutions should adapt and modify their educational approach to not only align with the requirements of the new system but also contribute to the job market’s needs.
"Tertiary education can no longer be about graduation numbers or the prestige of their degrees, but the overall impact of their products – their students,” he stated.
In addition, he stated that higher education institutions are crucial to the nation’s development through research, technology, knowledge generation and transfer.
Cabinet Secretaries Ezekiel Machogu (Education) and Moses Kuria (Trade, Investments, and Industry) accompanied the Vice President.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua led the 40th and 9th graduation events for the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and the PAUSTI class, respectively.
On Friday, there was a ceremony where 4,299 people received their diplomas, bachelor degrees, and graduate degrees.
He told the graduates that they should do study and come up with new ideas to help create jobs and get rid of poverty.
“I commended the graduates and faculty members for their tremendous effort to this end,” Gachagua said.
He said that going to college is a great way to help a country grow in many ways.
CS Education Ezekiel Machogu told colleges that they need to change all the time to meet the needs of the 21st century and provide the intellectual framework for it.
‘We Have No Jobs For You’: Gachagua Advises Graduates in Face of Limited Job Prospects
