The Eldoret National Polytechnic has secured several key international partnerships that will enable its
students to acquire market-oriented skills for jobs in 36 countries.
The development comes as civil
society groups, led by the Improved Action for Community Transformation (IACT), praised the college’s efforts to transform trainees from jobseekers into job
creators through innovative and practical training.
Chief principal Dr Charles Koech said the institution is aligning its training programmes with international standards, including the Australian Qualifications framework.
TENP has also
partnered with the Canadian Universities and Colleges (CUC) under the Young
Africa Works programme to develop modularised curricula tailored to meet
specific industry needs.
Additionally, the college has
partnered with three Finnish institutions to strengthen its Open and Distance
Education and Learning programmes.
Koech revealed that 79 students
will travel to Britain for a six-month exchange programme under the Mkulima
Majuu initiative.
“All these partnerships are designed
to give our youth better employment opportunities locally and abroad by
equipping them with market-relevant training and skills,” he said.
Koech spoke after the college hosted an
expo and conference on competence, innovation, and research for sustainable
development. The event was graced by Frank Mukuna, director of policy implementation and compliance at the TVET Department.
Mukuna said under the
Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, the government’s focus remains on
creating more job opportunities by training youth for domestic and
international labour markets.
IACT representatives Kipkorir Birgen
and Benjamin Leting commended Koech for steering the institution towards academic excellence through programmes that produce graduates with practical
and employable skills.
They hailed TENP’s 40-year legacy in
youth training, noting it ranks among Kenya’s top 10 TVET institutions.
“It’s remarkable that TENP continues
to stand out as a centre of excellence, shaping the future of our youth,” Birgen said.
The two also praised the
institution’s growing list of global partnerships, which will see TENP
graduates accredited and qualified for job markets in countries such as Canada,
the UK, the US, Germany and Australia.
“With over 18,000 students, TENP is
a beacon of hope for our youth—training them for a brighter future and
equipping them with the skills to secure meaningful employment,” Birgen said.
