The Government has renewed its call for graduates of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to aggressively pursue emerging employment opportunities both within Kenya and abroad, emphasizing that their practical skills are central to the country’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Speaking at the inaugural graduation ceremony of Kakrao Technical and Vocational College (TVC) in Suna East Sub-County, on Wednesday, Principal Secretary for TVET, Dr. Esther Muoria, challenged the 422 pioneering graduates to position themselves competitively in the job market and take full advantage of government-supported international labour mobility programmes.
Representing Education Cabinet Secretary Hon. Julius Ogamba, Dr. Muoria highlighted that thousands of Kenyan youth trained in technical fields are already being absorbed into high-demand international markets, particularly in the Middle East, through bilateral labour agreements in construction, engineering, hospitality, and technical trades.
“There are countless opportunities waiting beyond our borders, but nothing comes on a silver platter,” Dr. Muoria told the graduates. “Step out boldly, seek these opportunities, and maximise the structures the government has put in place to support you.”
The PS underscored that the ongoing reinvention of the TVET sector — through Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET), Dual Training, and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) — is deliberately designed to produce market-ready, globally competitive artisans who can power both domestic mega-projects and international labour needs.
“For too long TVETs were undervalued. Today they are the backbone of Kenya’s skills revolution. Our welders, electricians, plumbers, ICT technicians, mechanics, and builders are the true drivers of economic transformation,” she declared.
Dr. Muoria urged the graduates to actively participate in national flagship projects crying out for skilled labour, including the Affordable Housing Programme, modern market construction, road infrastructure, agricultural mechanisation, and ICT-driven development initiatives.
Kakrao TVC Principal Mr. Felix Odhiambo hailed the institution’s rapid growth and its adoption of climate-smart innovations, modern workshops, rainwater harvesting systems, and income-generating agricultural projects that equip students with both technical and entrepreneurial skills.
He challenged the graduates to become job creators rather than job seekers, saying: “Technical education gives you the power to construct, repair, innovate, and employ others. The future economy of Migori County and Kenya at large rests on your hands.
”With over 75% of new jobs in Kenya now requiring technical or vocational skills, the government continues to invest heavily in TVET infrastructure, curriculum modernisation, trainer capacity building, and strategic international partnerships.“As a nation, we have placed technical skills at the very centre of our economic vision,” she noted.
“TVET graduates are no longer secondary options — you are the engine of Kenya’s prosperity.”
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