ILO entrepreneurship training programme targets youth

By Luke Anami

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has launched a training programme that targets the youth on how to create employment.

The "Start and Improve Your Business" (SIYB) entrepreneurship training programme will be conducted in conjunction with the Ministry of Labour with the "Training of Trainers" (TOTs) as the first beneficiaries.

SIYB is designed to enable entrepreneurs set up buying procedures and stock control systems, cost goods and services, keep records, and market their products effectively.

The impact of the ILO’s SIYB training programme will be measured by the number of jobs it creates in the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector.

"The high rate of unemployment has been outstripped by the number of youth seeking employment in most African countries, including Kenya," Alexio Musindo, Director ILO East African region said at the close of a workshop to train entrepreneurs.

"The introduction of the programme aims at reducing the gap between unemployed youth and the number of jobs available in the market by creating a pool of skills upon which the youth can create jobs."

Key markets

The ILO’s SIYB training programme offers practical interventions in the creation of job opportunities. The objective of the programme is to enable the micro, small and medium sized entrepreneurs to set up a business management system.

More than 60 Kenyans have undergone the training and are expected to extend the knowledge to other youth groups across the country.

Improvement rates after SIYB training vary depending on which modules are taught.

According to global studies the percentage of businesses showing increased profits varies from 45 per cent to 70 per cent.

"Entrepreneurship is key to job creation which ILO is keen on promoting by identifying the right tools that can suit the youth environment," Musindo, who was accompanied by Julius Mutie, ILO Kenya representative, said.