Nyamira Shifts Focus to Skills-Based Entrepreneurship as 1,100 Youth Secure VTC Scholarships

By Monyonge Kebati

Nyamira County is stepping up efforts to equip young people with practical skills and entrepreneurship opportunities, with Governor Amos Nyaribo calling for a shift from traditional education pathways towards training that responds directly to market needs.

Speaking at Mwongori Vocational Training Centre on Thursday, August 20, Nyaribo said the county’s investment in vocational education is intended to give young people skills they can convert into businesses and sustainable sources of income.

The Governor made the remarks while awarding toolkits to 178 top-performing graduates from Vocational Training Centres across the county.

The equipment is expected to help the graduates put their technical skills into practice and venture into self-employment.

Nyaribo also announced that 1,100 trainees have been enrolled for full scholarships under a partnership between the Nyamira County Government and KCB Foundation’s 2Jiajiri Programme.

He challenged young people to look beyond academic qualifications and consider marketable technical skills that can open opportunities in entrepreneurship.

According to the Governor, training institutions must increasingly equip learners with skills that correspond to the demands of the economy rather than preparing them solely for conventional employment.

Nyaribo also urged education stakeholders to review programmes offered at tertiary institutions, saying greater alignment with emerging industries and entrepreneurship opportunities would help address unemployment among young people.

He called for closer collaboration between government, education institutions and the private sector to ensure that graduates leave training institutions with practical and relevant skills.

The Governor said the county would continue supporting vocational education as part of its broader strategy to empower young people and strengthen household incomes.

The 178 toolkits awarded to the graduates are expected to provide a practical starting point for beneficiaries seeking to establish businesses and enter the job market.

The scholarship programme, meanwhile, is set to expand access to vocational training for more young people in Nyamira, with the county government and KCB Foundation working together under the 2Jiajiri initiative.

Nyaribo said the ultimate goal is to create a generation of skilled young entrepreneurs capable of turning their technical abilities into viable enterprises and employment opportunities for others.