Ruto seeks permanent internship framework for graduates

President William Ruto during the launch of the Next Generation Youth Employment Programme (NextGen.KE) at State House, Nairobi on July 24, 2026. [PCS]

President William Ruto has called for stronger government and private sector partnerships to create a permanent pathway for young Kenyans transitioning from higher learning institutions into the labour market.

Speaking during the launch of the Next Generation Youth Employment Programme (NextGen.KE) at State House, Nairobi, President Ruto said internships must move beyond temporary interventions and become a structured part of the journey from education to employment.

The President said he had requested the withdrawal of the Public Service Internship Bill, 2022 (National Assembly Bill No. 63 of 2022) from Parliament to allow for improvements that would establish a stronger legal framework for internships.

He said the revised legislation would ensure internships become a permanent feature of the transition between learning institutions and workplaces.

“I have asked the piece of legislation that was in Parliament be withdrawn so that we can factor in this aspect and provide a sound legal framework for us to undertake this exercise,” President Ruto said.

He added that the objective was to ensure internships are not treated as a temporary stopgap but become a sustainable system that guides graduates into employment.

“Not so that it is a temporary stopgap, but so that it is a permanent feature of what happens when graduates get out of TVET colleges and universities to lay the journey to the job market,” he said.

President Ruto said the government was responding to concerns raised by both employers and graduates. He noted that businesses often complain that graduates leave institutions of learning without enough practical experience, while young people struggle because employers demand workplace exposure.

“The private sector complains of graduates, technicians and business people when they get out of college that they are half-baked for the job market. On the other hand, young people complain they graduate but the job market demands practical experience,” he said.

He said the government was stepping in to bridge the gap by bringing together employers, training institutions and development partners.

The President challenged companies to provide internship spaces, mentorship and workplace experience for young people, saying businesses would benefit by developing a larger pool of skilled workers.

“The programme is asking you to provide space in your companies. It is also asking you to mentor and support graduates to get job market experience so that you can get a big pool of labour you can tap into to enhance productivity,” he said.

President Ruto also appealed to private sector employers to provide basic support for interns, including transport and lunch allowances, noting that many young people require assistance to participate effectively.

“I am also asking the private sector, these are people you will be training but who will be working for you. I think it will be fair to give them something for fare and lunch,” he said.

He said the government had committed Sh2 billion to the programme in the current financial year and planned to increase support to Sh5 billion next year as partnerships grow.

“We are going to commit Sh5 billion next year and depending on how the partnership grows between us and development partners, we should be able to provide as much as possible,” he said.

The President said the long-term ambition was to create a system where every graduate from universities and institutions would have access to a supported internship opportunity.

“We should get to a place where every young person from universities and institutions will know they have automatic one-year internship in their space of choice and which will be supported by these programmes,” he said.

Through NextGen.KE, the government plans to place thousands of young people in private sector workplaces while working with businesses to expand opportunities.

President Ruto said the programme would initially place 10,000 young people in private sector opportunities within three months as part of efforts to build a skilled and experienced workforce.

He said the success of the initiative would depend on collective responsibility between government, businesses and development partners.

“The private sector must continue opening its workplaces, sharing its knowledge and mentoring the next generation of professionals. Together, we can build a stronger bridge between education and the job market,” he said.