Kenya is placing employers at the centre of technical training under reforms that will see trainees spend as much as 70 per cent of their programmes in workplaces, in a fresh push to make TVET graduates better prepared for employment.
The new approach will divide training between institutions and industry, with learners spending 50 to 70 per cent of their time gaining practical experience at workplaces and the rest in classrooms and workshops. The government says the model will allow trainees to learn in real work settings while giving employers a stronger say in the skills they need.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said closer cooperation between training institutions and industry was necessary if the country was to get better results from technical and vocational education.
“Industry must be more than a recipient of skills; it must be an active partner in shaping them,” Mr Ogamba said in a speech read by TVET Principal Secretary Esther Muoria during the International TVET Conference 2026 in Nairobi.
The dual-training system is being rolled out under the Kenya National Dual Training Policy, which was approved by Cabinet in January 2025.
The policy provides for the duties of employers and training institutions and sets guidelines on quality checks, assessment and certification of trainees.
The move comes as Kenya continues with its shift to Competency-Based Education and Training, which began in 2023. Since then, about 11,600 trainers have been upskilled, while close to 300 modularised curricula have either been developed or reviewed.
The public TVET network currently has 33 national polytechnics and 217 technical and vocational colleges, providing the main platform for the reforms.
Beyond preparing young people for local employment, the government is also using partnerships with other countries to create opportunities for skilled Kenyans in foreign labour markets.
Ogamba cited the Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between Kenya and Germany, signed in September 2024, as one example of the international pathways being developed.
The first 31 young Kenyans who underwent training through a related programme have completed courses covering technical skills, German language, intercultural skills and workplace readiness.
The group consisted of 20 hospitality trainees enrolled through the DEHOGA Bayern pathway and 11 others trained in landscaping. They were recognised at Kiambu National Polytechnic in July.
Kenya’s TVET programme is also receiving financial and technical backing from Finland, Germany and South Korea. The three countries have committed about €28 million through the first two phases of the programme, while KfW is providing further support for infrastructure, equipment and technical skills.
Ogamba said such international job pathways should be properly managed and should only be pursued where there is clear and verified demand for workers. He said the process must also protect trainees by ensuring that opportunities are safe and transparent.
The three-day Nairobi conference has brought together government officials, employers, TVET institutions and development partners to examine ways of making training more responsive to the needs of the economy.
Held under the theme, “Skills That Work: Advancing Industry-TVET Collaboration for Sustainable Skills and Global Competitiveness”, the conference is focusing on partnerships between industry and training institutions, digital and green skills, funding, inclusion, modern teaching methods and the recognition of qualifications.
Ogamba said the success of the reforms would ultimately be judged by their ability to help young people find productive employment, establish businesses, move between labour markets and keep acquiring new skills during their careers.
He called on government agencies, employers and training institutions to turn the ideas being discussed at the conference into working partnerships that can connect training with jobs and opportunities to create enterprises.