This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
Kenya's largest number of unemployed youth in the region presents a ticking time bomb, with many graduates lacking practical skills and soft skills to sell themselves in the job market.
However, a local public university's initiative to offer paid internships to its students has sparked debate on whether other institutions should follow suit, highlighting the need to bridge the gap between university learning and industry skills demand.
The university's placement programme, modelled after the Canadian concept of Co-op Education, aimed to offer learners opportunities in a structured way to gain experience and network with employers, increasing their employability credentials ahead of graduation.
Under the programme, firms would be provided with academic and discipline background of top learners, easing the selection process. On their part, students would apply at the university before being picked and linked to the companies based on their academic performance and discipline, with the one-third gender rule observed.
The programme was a welcome initiative, not only for students but also for participating companies, which gained an advantage over the rest by having the inner lane in the race to select the most talented and innovative learners to work for them.
By the time they graduate, students would have a total of one and a half to two years of work experience, making them more attractive to potential employers.
Employers have continually raised concerns over a glaring gap between formal education and industry skill needs among graduates, in what has worsened joblessness in the country.
The World Bank has pointed out a huge disconnect between university education and labour market needs in developing economies, citing it as a driver of high unemployment levels in countries such as Kenya.
Long-term growth is not possible without human productivity, a product of quality education and training.
