The Government is calling for stronger partnerships between Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and industry to ensure graduates acquire practical, market-ready skills that respond to the changing demands of the labour market. The call comes amid efforts to transform Kenya’s TVET system from one largely focused on certification to a competence-driven model that prioritizes productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship and employability.
Speaking during a stakeholder workshop in Nairobi attended by more than 150 representatives from the agricultural and fresh produce sectors, Acting Secretary of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) Joseph Njau said industry must play a greater role in shaping the skills taught in training institutions.
Representing TVET Principal Secretary Dr Esther Muoria, Njau said stronger collaboration between employers and training institutions would help address the persistent mismatch between the skills graduates acquire and those demanded in the workplace.
“Industry should help shape the skills that industry needs,” Njau said.
He called for increased workplace exposure for trainees and greater involvement of industry experts in curriculum development and delivery.
According to Njau, the Government is promoting Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET), work-based learning, responsive curricula and innovation-driven training to produce graduates who can either secure employment or create their own enterprises.
He further urged TVET institutions to move beyond conventional classroom training and position themselves as centres of production, innovation, technology transfer and enterprise development.
Agriculture offers new opportunities
The agriculture and fresh produce sector, he noted, presents significant opportunities for skilled young people across production, processing, post-harvest handling, logistics, digital agriculture, quality assurance, export compliance and marketing. However, exploiting these opportunities requires workers with practical skills that correspond to industry standards.
Njau said a new partnership between the State Department for TVET and the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya (FPC Kenya) is expected to strengthen industry exposure, research, innovation and technology transfer. The collaboration will also support the commercialization of products and innovations developed within TVET institutions while improving trainer capacity and institutional infrastructure.
Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya President Okisegere Ojepat said the partnership seeks to address the long-standing disconnect between training institutions and the workplace.
“We want to increase exports, increase job opportunities and ensure the skills mismatch we have experienced before is addressed,” Ojepat said.
Under the partnership, industry and TVET institutions will jointly develop curricula based on current and emerging requirements within the fresh produce sector.
Trainees will also benefit from practical exposure through demonstration farms, training centres and centres of excellence, allowing them to gain experience before entering the job market.
From classroom to workplace
Ojepat said institutions would be aligned with specific agricultural value chains and geographical areas, enabling learners to gain practical experience in real production environments. The partnership will cover areas including fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, flowers, meat and meat products, as well as value addition.
It will also provide opportunities for workers already in the sector to acquire additional skills and advance their careers. Nyandarua National Polytechnic Chief Principal Dr Jane Gitau welcomed the initiative, saying practical exposure is essential in preparing graduates for employment.
She dismissed claims that vocational institutions produce inadequately prepared graduates, but acknowledged that some employers still have to retrain new recruits to meet specific workplace requirements. Gitau said the success of partnerships between TVET institutions and industry should ultimately be measured by tangible outcomes such as increased employment, business growth, technology adoption and improved productivity.
“The success of the partnership will be measured not by meetings or agreements signed, but by real outcomes,” she said.
She added that equipping learners with relevant skills would help retain more value within Kenya’s economy while enabling young people to create businesses and employment opportunities.
Reducing the cost of retraining
For students and employers, closer engagement between training institutions and industry could also reduce the time and resources spent retraining graduates after recruitment.
Hassan Nandwa, a student and manager at Fawaki Import and Export Limited, said employers often encounter graduates who possess academic qualifications but lack sufficient practical exposure.
“Industry is important because we often hire people who are not experienced and have to train them from the beginning,” he said.
Nandwa urged employers to become more involved in curriculum development and provide students with opportunities for workplace experience.
He said trainees exposed to real working environments are more likely to transition smoothly into employment after completing their courses.
Turning skills into jobs
The push for stronger TVET-industry linkages comes as Kenya seeks to expand opportunities for young people amid a changing labour market.
For many young people, technical training offers an alternative pathway to employment, entrepreneurship and income generation. But stakeholders argue that training must remain closely connected to actual economic opportunities.
By involving employers in curriculum design, providing structured workplace learning and exposing trainees to modern technologies, TVET institutions can better prepare graduates for the realities of the workplace.
The fresh produce sector, with its extensive value chains and growing demand for quality and export compliance, offers one example of how skills training can be directly linked to economic opportunities.
Stakeholders say similar partnerships across other sectors could help Kenya build a workforce that is not only qualified but competent, innovative and ready to contribute to economic growth.