1,876 students from 27 Vocational Training Centers from Nyeri have graduated with certificates and diplomas in various fields.
The graduates have been undergoing training in various learning institutions in various technical skills such as carpentry, masonry, electrical installation, tailoring and ICT.
Addressing the graduands at the Kamukunji Grounds, Thursday Deputy Governor Warui Kinanire said the success of the training was possible due to a partnership between the County Government of Nyeri and KCB Foundation.
He said while some of the trainees were fully sponsored by their families, a good number had their tuition partly covered through the partnership to a tune of Sh 23 million.
“The cohorts we are talking about, we had a budget of about Sh.11.5 million, which we provided as a County approved by the County Assembly. We also got another Sh.11.5 million from KCB Foundation and KCB and that is why we are here today to celebrate the achievement of all 1,876 graduands,” he said.
Kinanire also challenged the graduands not to be content with their current achievement but to pursue further training in order to be fully equipped for the competitive job market.
He noted that while technical training centres were previously looked down upon as only fit for academic dwarfs, times had now proved they remain the best investment for any developing country especially in the face of dwindling openings in the formal job market.
“I want to challenge you that the sky is no longer the limit for you. When I was growing up in the village, polytechnics were only meant as training centres for those who could not make it in class. Today things have changed and you can get a person who has scored a B+ joining a National Polytechnic to acquire technical skills before proceeding to the University. That’s how important technical skills are,” he stressed.
The cohorts were also advised not only to be self-employed but also to create job opportunities for others in the community.
“The courses you have done are important. So from today on you can all be employers. You can employ yourself and you can also employ others. These skills are needed everywhere today – by plumbers, hairdressers and carpenters. This shows you how important the courses you have done are,” he added.
Education, Training and Devolution CEC, Margaret Macharia said she was confident the graduating cohorts were competent enough to put the skills they had learnt to practice.
Macharia said all the 1,876 graduands had gone through rigorous hands-on training under 79 qualified tutors and passed their national exams as required by the board of examiners.
“We are presenting 1,876 graduands who have been skilled in the last one year and they have done their exams with the National Industrial Training Authority and all have qualified and been certified. That is why we are here to present them with certificates from all the 27 Vocational Training Centers in the County,” she said.
Macharia commended the cohorts for their endurance during the entire time in the training centres’ courses and assured them that their efforts were worth the struggle.
She also thanked the KCB Foundation and KCB for supporting the program and stated that without such a contribution the majority of learners would not have managed to complete their courses.
“I am proud to be here to see the young men and women who have gone through training on skilling and practically been involved in various trades. I want to say that each one of them has spent many months; others have been here for years and some even joined us in 2024 and have mastered the practical skills in various trades,” she pointed out.
A total of 146 graduands who attained a first-class score in their respective trades were each given a tool kit to help them start off their own ventures.
The donation was courtesy of KCB Foundation and the Nyeri County government.
by Samuel Maina and Stephen Nderitu
