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290 technical students set to sharpen skills in local firms

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Kisumu Polytechnic students. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Kenya’s quest to improve the quality of mid-level technical training has moved a notch higher following the absorption of 290 interns by local companies.

The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) said in a statement that another 350 graduates had been trained “on work readiness” ahead of the planned industrial attachment at factories based in Nairobi, Central, Rift Valley and Coast regions.

Speaking during this year’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Job Fair in Nairobi, regional TVET director George Matoke praised the KAM-government partnership saying it has helped to make technical training relevant to industry.

“Technical education is the way to go as it addresses issues on access, equity, quality, relevance, governance and management of technical education,” he said.

The TVET programme was launched last year after KAM partnered with the German Co-operation for International Development (GIZ) to address training challenges that made TIVET graduates unemployable upon graduation.

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Nakuru’s KAM chapter chairman Jayen Dodhia welcomed the partnership saying inclusion of industrial players in training technical and vocational students create an avenue for formulation of new academic programmes that incorporate work ethics and human rights.

“Industries are keen on the relationship since it will ensure skills being supplied to the market are relevant thereby reducing the need to retrain TIVET graduates,” he said.