Laikipia: More than a thousand unemployed youth from Laikipia County are set to benefit from the government-sponsored Nyota apprentice programme. The youth, drawn from the 15 wards in the county, were inducted on Monday and are expected to undergo 20 days of training before being placed in various institutions where they will apprentice for five months to gain skills through the National Youth Opportunities towards Advancement (Nyota).
According to Kenya News Agency, the initiative, dubbed On Job Experience, will enable young people to acquire skills in fields such as beauty and therapy, welding, plumbing, and barbering, among others. Laikipia East Deputy County Commissioner Patrick Muli, speaking at Inooro Girls Secondary during the launch on Monday, stated that the programme aims to dissuade youth from engaging in criminal activities and substance abuse by keeping them engaged.
“The programme targets youth, the majority of whom have been idle, and now they will be occupied for 20 days before deployment to institutions. We want our youth to be disciplined,” said the administrator. He added that the government would also cater to the needs of the beneficiaries during the training programme.
Muli encouraged the youth to take advantage of the programme, noting that it aims to equip them with skills and boost their employability chances, as they will be awarded certificates from the National Industrial and Training Authority (NITA) upon completion.
Laikipia County Director of Youth Affairs Muigai Waiharo highlighted that for the first 20 days, the youth will train on social-emotional skills aimed at ensuring they can relate with their trainers seamlessly. Nyota Programme management unit officer Anthony Simiyu mentioned that over eight hundred thousand youths are expected to benefit from the programme across the country.
The beneficiaries expressed their gratitude, noting that the initiative was a significant boost and would uplift their lives.
