Government pushes TVET skills for global opportunities

TVET Principal Secretary Dr Esther Muoria during a dinner for the first cohort final assessments under the Signet Institute of Australia programme at Kabete National Polytechnic on August 27, 2026. [Benard Orwongo, Standard].

Kenya is stepping up efforts to  transform Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions into centres of practical skills, innovation, production and global employment.

This is as the country seeks to position its graduates for opportunities in both local and international labour markets.

This emerged during a dinner marking the successful completion of the first cohort final assessments under the Signet Institute of Australia programme at Kabete National Polytechnic.

Principal Secretary for the State Department for TVET, Esther Muoria, said the partnership with Australia demonstrates how international collaboration can help Kenya align technical training with industry requirements, international standards and emerging employment opportunities.

“The partnership demonstrates the value of global collaboration in aligning TVET with industry needs, international standards and emerging labour-market opportunities,” Muoria said.

The assessments included trainees undertaking a Diploma in Community Service and Individual Support, specialising in ageing and disability support.

Participants were drawn from Kabete National Polytechnic, Nairobi National Polytechnic, Kisii National Polytechnic, Eldoret National Polytechnic and Machakos Technical Institute for the Blind.

The assessments were moderated by a Master Trainer from Signet Institute of Australia, providing an international benchmark for the quality and relevance of the competencies acquired by the trainees.

Muoria said such international moderation was important in  building confidence in Kenya's TVET system while ensuring graduates possess skills that can compete beyond the country's borders.

“As Kenya advances its ambition to become a global skills hub, the focus must remain on building a TVET system that is industry-responsive, internationally benchmarked and capable of preparing young people to compete for opportunities both at home and across the world,” she said.

The programme brought together trainees and trainers from five Kenyan TVET institutions, with 133 trainees and an estimated 33 trainers assessed in competencies covering engineering, automotive, construction, health, community services and leadership.

The government is also seeking to address another challenge facing TVET — the gap between training and actual industrial production.

Muoria called for stronger partnerships between TVET institutions, industry and universities to enable colleges to move beyond training learners to producing goods and solutions.

She said the initiative provides an opportunity for TVET institutions to contribute to the local manufacture of vehicle parts and components, including those required for electric vehicles.

“Through collaboration, TVETs have an opportunity to deepen industry linkages, promote technology transfer, enhance practical skills and support market-driven production across our TVET institutions,” Muoria said.

She further said the first cohort is expected to graduate in November, with the government hoping the graduates will access employment opportunities in Australia and serve as evidence of the value of the Kenya-Australia skills partnership.

Kabete National Polytechnic Principal Dr Patrick Muchemi during a dinner for the first cohort final assessments under the Signet Institute of Australia programme at Kabete National Polytechnic on August 27, 2026. [Benard Orwongo, Standard].

Kabete National Polytechnic Principal Dr Patrick Muchemi said TVET institutions should increasingly use their existing equipment, expertise and partnerships to respond to real market needs.

Muchemi said the completion of the Signet assessment should not be viewed merely as the end of an examination cycle, but as part of a broader transformation of Kenya's technical training system.

“This evening marked more than the close of an assessment cycle; it marked another step in positioning Kenyan TVET for the global skills market,” Muchemi said.

He said experiences from pilot institutions were showing that Kenya could strengthen local manufacturing and innovation by involving trainees directly in production and exposing them to industry standards and workplace expectations.

“TVET institutions have the potential to become centres of production, innovation and enterprise, while delivering on their core training mandate,” he said.

The Signet partnership has expanded beyond the initial five institutions, with 15 institutions participating in a strategic planning process and more than 185 trainees already enrolled in the programme.

Muchemi noted that international opportunities must go hand in hand with building productive capacity at home.

“The next step is to translate these lessons into action by progressively establishing industries within TVET institutions, using existing equipment, expertise and partnerships to produce, innovate and respond to real market needs,” he said.