ELDORET, Kenya — Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has challenged graduating students from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to shift their mindset from seeking formal employment to creating innovative job opportunities aligned with Kenya’s evolving economic landscape.
Speaking during the 20th Graduation Ceremony of Eldoret Polytechnic, Ogamba said the government is investing heavily in infrastructure, manufacturing, technology, and the creative economy to create spaces where skilled youths can apply their expertise.
“We are accelerating job creation in key sectors such as affordable housing, manufacturing, the digital economy, and the creative economy, and TVETs stand at the centre because they are the primary pipeline for trained manpower needed in infrastructure, technology, and beyond,” Ogamba said.
He urged the class of 2025 to step into the job market with a sense of initiative, adding, “Do not simply wait for employment; be entrepreneurs, innovators, and problem solvers. Kenya needs your imagination, your initiative, and your drive.”
Ogamba emphasised that vocational training institutions must strengthen partnerships with industry and modernise their equipment to ensure learners acquire the current, practical skills needed to thrive independently.
He said the government is scaling up investment in tools, training materials, and institutional capacity to ensure students graduate ready to create opportunities for themselves and others.
The CS also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to financing higher learning through capitation, scholarships and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), saying access to funding remains a cornerstone of education equity.
“There is no doubt that capitation, scholarship and support via HELB must remain an essential pillar of equitable success. Through these mechanisms, we are ensuring that no Kenyan youth with talent and drive is locked out simply because of financial constraints,” he said.
Ogamba’s remarks come nearly a year after the government introduced wide-ranging changes to TVET programmes to embed industry relevance and reduce the number of graduates stuck in prolonged job searches.
The reforms include a transition to the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) model, which prioritises hands-on skills and short, modular courses that guarantee quick deployment into the job market.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, speaking earlier this year during the inaugural graduation of Ollessos National Polytechnic, said the shift was necessary to bridge the gap between theory-heavy training and practical industry needs.
“We have revised the curriculum for TVETs to the Competency-Based Education and Training Curriculum to align it to the needs of the industry so that when you graduate, there are people who need your expertise,” he said.
Kindiki added that the government is designing two- and three-week short courses to support emerging opportunities, especially under international labour mobility programmes.
“Some of the opportunities we are getting for young people are in areas in which we must develop quick courses, short courses, two or three weeks, and then you have a skill and a certificate that helps you get a job locally and abroad,” he said.
The combined push by the Ministry of Education and the Executive signals a national strategy to leverage TVETs as engines of economic transformation.
As the CBET framework expands and institutions upgrade their equipment, policymakers argue that TVET graduates are increasingly positioned to be job creators, innovators and contributors to Kenya’s development agenda.
