Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, Fikirini Jacobs is calling on the youth to embrace technical and vocational skills noting they are key in addressing gaps in the labour market.
Speaking in Garissa University, Fikirini emphasized the need to shift perspectives on education and career paths. “I know we have had a problem of socialization as a country. We have given a lot of attention for far too long to university education, which looks ‘managerial’ and given a lot of emphasis to jobs that are considered white collar,” PS Jacobs told attendees. “However, I think technical education is equally something we need to embrace.”
He directly linked technical training to job creation, stating, “We have approximately 1.6 million graduates into the job market every year… for those chances to come we need a system that will create the demand for the absorption of this population and the only way we can create demand is through technical education.”
The summit also spotlighted several national youth empowerment programs, including the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA), Jitume programme, and Climate Worxs. Young people were urged to apply and take advantage of these initiatives designed to build digital and technical competencies.
“The government is very deliberate in empowering technical and vocational education. We have institutions that have collaborated with TVET through the ICT and digital economy to create the Jitume program so that young people can get opportunities,” Jacobs added.
Local leaders echoed the sentiment, encouraging youth in Garissa to enroll in technical and vocational colleges within the county to acquire both skills and certification. They also highlighted the importance of looking toward future-oriented fields like innovation, digital start-ups, and Artificial Intelligence, areas where future job markets are expected to focus.
The summit concluded with a strong call to action, urging a collective effort to guide young people toward practical, high-demand skills that can lead to meaningful employment and entrepreneurship.
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