Kenya's tea industry tackles skills shortage with dual TVET model

Panellists from TVET, State Department and tea sector discuss skills gaps and collaboration at the dual TVET forum in Kisumu. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Kenya's tea industry is tackling skills shortages by adopting a dual Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) model that combines classroom learning with hands-on experience in factories and farms.

The move aims to boost productivity and prepare young workers for immediate deployment in a sector vital to Kenya's economy and rural livelihoods.

The forum in Kisumu brought together tea factory management, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), the Kenya Tea Growers Association (KTGA), the Independent Tea Producers Association of Kenya (ITPAK), and TVET institutions.

Obed Onduso, Zonal Quality Assurance Manager at KTDA, said, "The partnership with TVET institutions under the dual TVET programme allows us to play an active role in shaping practical training that responds directly to the needs of our factories and farms."

He noted some KTDA members already participate and urged more to join in preparing young people for careers in tea.

The dual TVET model blends classroom learning with on-the-job training. Fourteen factories in the Western and Rift Valley regions partner with TVET institutions to train more than 150 young people.

Jeff Kamau from the Dual TVET Coordination Unit at the State Department for TVET said, "We have moved from training for industry to training with industry. This shift ensures our training content aligns with real workplace needs."

Kamau commended the tea, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors for working with TVET institutions to shape curricula and support trainee assessments.

The programme supports Kenya's Vision 2030 goal of youth employment and economic growth. Factory leaders pledged to formalise partnerships and onboard trainees for the September 2025 intake.

The initiative is funded by Finland and Germany through the Promotion of Youth Employment and Vocational Training programme.

"By aligning what is taught in schools with what is needed in industry, we make training more effective," noted Horst Bauernfeind, Project Manager.

He added, "We have seen more confident graduates, more satisfied employers, and a stronger link between education and the job market."

The dual TVET model offers a scalable solution to meet the rising demand for skilled labour in agri-processing while keeping Kenya's tea sector competitive globally.