The government plans to transform universities, colleges, and technical institutions into recruitment centres under a new strategy to tackle youth unemployment and close the widening gap between education and labour market demands.
Labour and Skills Development Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime said the initiative will strengthen collaboration between learning institutions and employers to ensure graduates leave school with job-ready skills.
The reforms seek to align training programmes with industry needs, allowing employers to recruit directly from institutions while reducing the need for costly post-graduation retraining.
Govt Targets Skills Gap With Employer-Led Curriculum Reforms
Speaking during the fourth edition of the Skill Up Africa programme on July 15, Mwadime said employers have consistently raised concerns that many graduates lack the practical skills required in today's workplace.
He revealed that the government has begun engaging employers to identify gaps in existing training programmes before revising curricula to match evolving labour market demands.
According to the PS, the objective is to ensure students complete their studies fully equipped with relevant skills, enabling them to transition directly into employment.
"We want to have discussions with employers so they can tell us where the gaps are, and immediately after those discussions, we reform the curriculum so that we prepare our young people comprehensively and sufficiently for the job market," Mwadime said.
He added that graduates should not spend years in education only to discover they require additional training before becoming employable.
Universities to Become Direct Pathways Into Employment
The proposal comes amid mounting concerns over youth unemployment and underemployment despite the continued expansion of higher education.
Data cited by the Federation of Kenya Employers shows that more than one million young people join Kenya's labour market every year, while many employers struggle to find candidates with the specialised skills they require.
Labour market experts have also warned about the growing number of young people who are neither in employment, education nor training, highlighting the need for faster curriculum reforms.
Under the government's proposal, universities, colleges and TVET institutions will work more closely with employers, creating a direct link between training and recruitment while improving graduates' employment prospects.
The initiative forms part of wider government reforms aimed at improving efficiency across public institutions and strengthening workforce development to support economic growth.
