Nairobi: The Government has called for stronger collaboration between Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and industry to ensure graduates acquire practical, job-ready skills that align with labour market needs and support economic transformation.
According to Kenya News Agency, Acting Secretary of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA), Joseph Njau, stated that Kenya is undergoing a major shift in its TVET system from certification-based training to a competence-driven model focused on productivity, innovation, and employability. Njau, representing Principal Secretary for TVET Dr. Esther Muoria, emphasized the transformation’s importance, particularly in agriculture, where modern production, technology adoption, quality standards, and market access depend increasingly on industry-relevant skills.
Speaking during a workshop in Nairobi attended by more than 150 stakeholders from the agricultural and fresh produce sectors, Njau stressed that the industry must play a central role in defining the skills required in the economy. He urged stronger linkages between training institutions and employers, expanded workplace exposure for students, and greater participation of industry experts in curriculum delivery.
The Government is promoting competency-based education and training, work-based learning, responsive curricula, and innovation-driven training to ensure graduates are not only job seekers but also job creators. Njau added that TVET institutions should evolve into centers of production, innovation, technology transfer, and enterprise development, enabling young people to commercialize ideas, establish businesses, and contribute directly to job creation.
He noted that the fresh produce sector presents significant opportunities across production, post-harvest handling, processing, logistics, digital agriculture, quality assurance, export compliance, and market access. However, these opportunities require a workforce equipped with practical skills and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Njau highlighted a new partnership between the State Department for TVET and the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya (FPC Kenya), which aims to strengthen industry exposure, research, innovation, and technology transfer, while also supporting the commercialization of products developed in TVET institutions. This collaboration will enhance trainer capacity, improve institutional infrastructure, and encourage TVET institutions to establish production and commercialization units to make training more relevant to industry needs.
Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya President Okisegere Ojepat stated that the partnership is designed to address the long-standing mismatch between skills acquired in training institutions and those required in the workplace. The consortium, working with the State Department for TVET, is implementing a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen ties between industry and training institutions, aiming to increase exports, job opportunities, and address the skills mismatch.
Ojepat explained that industry and TVET institutions will jointly develop curricula based on current and emerging needs in the fresh produce sector, providing structured practical training through demonstration farms, training centers, and centers of excellence. Learners will gain hands-on experience during training, improving their readiness for employment, and institutions will be aligned with specific value chains and geographical areas to ensure students are exposed to real agricultural operations.
The initiative will also benefit workers already in the sector by offering upskilling and career development opportunities, with industry players providing farms, facilities, and expertise to support training and mentorship. The partnership will cover key areas of the fresh produce value chain, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, flowers, meat and meat products, as well as value addition processes.
Ojepat reiterated that agriculture remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy, making skills development in the sector critical for boosting productivity, exports, and employment. The initiative aims to enhance Kenya’s global competitiveness by ensuring workers meet both local and international standards through proper training and accreditation.
Nyandarua National Polytechnic Chief Principal Dr. Jane Gitau commended tertiary institutions for producing graduates ready for employment, dismissing allegations of vocational colleges producing half-baked graduates. She emphasized that many graduates enter the job market with academic knowledge but lack practical experience, forcing employers to train them from scratch. The success of the partnership will be measured by real outcomes such as increased employment, business growth, technology adoption, and improved agricultural productivity.
Meanwhile, Hassan Nandwa, a student and manager at Fawaki Import and Export Limited, noted that closer collaboration between industry and training institutions would reduce the cost and time employers spend retraining graduates. He stressed the importance of industry exposure during training for better employment readiness after graduation and called for stronger employer involvement in curriculum development to reflect labor market realities.
Stakeholders agreed that sustained collaboration between government and the private sector will be essential in building a skilled workforce, expanding employment opportunities, and enhancing the competitiveness of Kenya’s agricultural and fresh produce sector in regional and global markets.
