Graduates Challenged To Be Innovative Job Creators
Technical Vocational Educational Training (TVET) graduates have been urged to use the skills they have learned to create their own employment opportunities.
Ms. Loice Mwale, Director of the state department of Technical Vocational Educational Training (TVET), spoke while presiding over the first graduation ceremony of Ekerubo Gietai Technical Training Institute (TTI) as the chief guest on Thursday.
She urged graduates to stop whining about joblessness and instead be creative and use their acquired skills to innovate entrepreneurial projects in order to build economic sustainability from their business ventures.
Ms. Loice Mwale stated that technical skills were driving global economies, as white collar jobs had become limited and were not essential in harnessing new innovations and inventions.
She added that blending technical skills with advanced technologies opened up numerous untapped job opportunities globally for young people to explore through creative entrepreneurial innovations in order to make a decent living.
She explained that for countries to build and sustain vibrant economies, they require a critical mass of skilled, competent, and innovative workers trained to industrial standards, which is why the ministry of education is implementing various reforms at TVET institutions to improve access to quality and relevant training and eliminate misconceptions and stereotypes that have made TVETs unattractive nationwide.
The Director stated that the government plans to enhance access to all students by constructing at least one TVET institution in all the 290 constituencies and providing them with industrial standard equipment to ensure effective and relevant training. The ministry has also standardized school fees paid to all public TVET institutions at Ksh 56,420 per student per year.
In addition, capitation has been provided through Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Services (KUCCPS), and trainees are now able to apply for the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to enable vulnerable trainees to access training through these interventions.
She further directed the institution’s management to initiate demand-driven technical courses and deploy qualified personnel who will equip trainees with the appropriate technical and entrepreneurial skills to enable them to start their own businesses with confidence while simultaneously creating employment opportunities for others.
In his speech, the institution’s chairman of the Board of Management (BOM), Mr. Bob Ndubi, alluded to the fact that they are developing a new strategic plan in which they intend to upgrade the institute to a national Polytechnic.
He also expressed appreciation for the support they are receiving from the government, other stakeholders, and people of good will in their efforts to raise the standards of the institutions on a daily basis.
Mr. Geofrey Andama, the institute’s principal, confirmed that the institute, which was founded in 2016, has grown steadily and now offers over 30 courses in the departments of Building, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and electronics Engineering, computing and informatics, Agriculture and Environmental studies, hospitality, business, and entrepreneurship, among others.
Mr. Andama stated that they were proud to release 514 skilled young men and women who were go-getters, as they were proficient in both theory and practical skills. He further mentioned that these skills would enable them to engage in economically prosperous long-life careers.
All of the speakers congratulated the graduates on their commitment, ceaseless efforts, discipline, and perseverance, which enabled them to excel in their respective fields of specialization and be prepared to seize opportunities on the job market.
Ekerubi Gietai TTI, with a current population of over 2,000 trainees, is the first in Nyamira County to produce 514 graduates who will now use their acquired skills to take advantage of a variety of opportunities to support themselves.
Graduates Challenged To Be Innovative Job Creators
