This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
December 23, 2019 - Kenya's job market is facing a significant challenge: a gap between the skills taught in universities and the skills required by employers. To address this issue, project management professionals are urging tertiary institutions to scale up mentorship programs to produce graduates who can meet the demands of the job market.
According to the Project Management Institute (PMI) Kenya Chapter, there is a huge gap between training and the skill-set potential employers need, especially for project managers. The chapter's president, James Wanjagi, emphasized the need to address the gap between internship and training to give students a soft landing.
"We want to get involved in policy-making, workshops and forums with employers, especially human resource practitioners, to demonstrate the value of project management," Dr. Wanjagi said during the PMI professional development day in Nairobi on Saturday.
PMI Events and Volunteer Programmes vice-president Irene Irungu noted that the institute will organize workshops for students to help them improve their practical skills in training. She highlighted that only four out of 10 fresh graduates can deliver on projects when employed, and that employers often spend more time and resources training and mentoring them.
Finetexx Technology Ltd chief executive Ali Hassan Kassim, who gave the keynote address, urged project managers to be innovative and learn from technology companies that are driving the new industrial revolution. He emphasized the need for project managers to be integrated and comprehensive in their approach.
