‘Soft skills’ keeping youths from opportunities in the labour market

Judith Nyakoa former Masinde Muliro University student washing cars and motorcycles at Shimalabandu area in Kakamega town. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

According to the 2020 edition of the Global Employment Trends for Youth report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), there are approximately 1.3 billion young people between the ages of 15 to 24. Their transition into the labour market {employment or entrepreneurship} has long-term impacts on their lives as well as on the socio-economic development of their countries, and this is a no brainer. To this end, it is, therefore, essential to establish ways to adequately equip them as they make their way into the saturated labour market, and monitor how they are faring on in terms of their effectiveness in discharging duties.