The Kenya High Commissioner to Australia, Ambassador Dr. Wilson Kipngetich Arap Kogo, has encouraged Kenyan youth to enroll in high-demand skill courses like construction, automotive, community service, and others that will help them secure jobs.
Speaking when he presided over the 10th Signet-TVET Festival, The Eldoret National Polytechnic Edition (TENP), Eldoret, the ambassador revealed that Australia has a 33 percent labor shortage due to its aging population.
The aim of the program is to upscale Kenyan training to meet the needs of that particular region. He hinted at reforms to transform Kenyan education from knowledge-based to skills-based so that when graduates migrate to foreign countries, they may fit in easily.
“Australia has opportunities for our young people, and this is what I feel. If we can do it right in terms of education, it will actually be possible for our young people to access labor in Australia and beyond,” explained Dr. Kogo.
The program that was rolled out in Kenya in September has the first cohort ongoing as it plans to take in the next cohort in January 2026 to train in high-demand skills in individual support, aging support, engineering fabrication trade, wall and floor tiling, automotive diesel engine technology, and brick and block laying.
He called for concerted efforts to help keep informing people and sensitizing them, especially the young population between 18 and 35 years old, to take advantage of this program to position themselves very well, not only for Australia but also for the other 36 countries that have Australian accreditation.
“The areas where Australian skills accreditation is required are quite a number. We need bricklayers. We need those who will work in the dairy industry. We need those who will work in the health sector. We can actually be a source of labor for that country to support their economy as our youth get those opportunities,” he added.
Noting that Kenyans had before gone to the overseas countries through student visas only, the high commissioner expressed confidence in changing the narrative to see Kenyans move there on a work visa.
He noted that they are not only skilling trainees here but also trying to reach out to employers in Australia so that they are aware that necessary skills are available in Kenya and preserve some vacancies for the youth.
Head of Sales and Marketing for Signet Institute Muhammad Imran Ali emphasized the need for skills recognition, noting that Kenyan skills are good but do not meet global standards, affirming the need to upscale them to international standards.
“So what we are promising is if you train locally, you can work globally. That’s the promise Signet is bringing, and it is backed by a fully accredited Australian qualification,” he noted.
“If you take that qualification powered by Australian accreditation and tomorrow apply for skilled migration after getting experience in Canada, you will be accepted. New Zealand, you will be accepted. Australia, you will be accepted,” added Imran.
He urged Kenyans to embrace the program, noting that the globally recognized quality education comes home in Kenya at a fraction of the price, about USD 4500, through the partnership of the Kenyan government and the national polytechnics.
He emphasized that the courses offered are in very high demand not only in Australia
and New Zealand, but in over 30 countries across the world, noting that the institute also supports employment after training.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Chelilim, in his speech delivered by County Director of the Governor’s Press, Silas Kosgei, lauded the partnership, which champions skills, innovation, and opportunity for the young people.
“As we gather for the 10th Signet-TVET Festival, we celebrate a partnership that is expanding horizons, strengthening our institutions, and positioning our youth to compete and excel on the global stage. Together, we are ensuring that our young people access internationally recognized qualifications accepted in more than 30 countries,” said the governor.
He indicated that the partnership elevates students’ training to global standards and gives them the confidence to pursue opportunities anywhere in the world.
Governor Chelilim noted that the initiative comes with three advantages to the county and the nation by facilitating expanded global opportunities, enhanced employability, and empowerment and dignity for our youth.
He affirmed county administration’s commitment to supporting TVET growth by creating an enabling environment where training is modern, industry-aligned, and transformative and where institutions like Eldoret National Polytechnic continue to lead by example.
The Eldoret National Polytechnic (TENP) Chief Principal Charles Koech welcomed the collaboration between Signet Institute of Australia, State Department for TVET (SDTVET), and the TENP, noting it is an initiative that accords the students the opportunity to acquire globally recognized employability skills to work in many parts of the world.
“Collaboration with Signet Institute of Australia is unlocking opportunities for our youth to access internationally recognized skills and qualifications. It gives an opportunity to our graduates to access opportunities in up to 39 countries globally,” said Dr. Koech.
He praised it as an opportunity for the graduates to access gainful employment and as a way to improve their lives.
by Ekuwam Sylvester
