From Skills to Success: Exploring the Power of Attachments in Countering Youth Unemployment in Kenya

Abstract

Youth unemployment in Kenya can lead to poverty and social unrest, possibly caused by the the ‘skills gap’, a mismatch between the theory-focused educational system and the skills needed for the labor market. The aim of this study was to explore students’, graduates’ and employers’ beliefs, experiences and needs with regards to the integration of attachments into the curriculum of the technical and vocational education and training (TVET). What led to recommendations for improvement of the TVET curriculum, to support Edukans’s ‘Youth to Work’ project development. This qualitative study involved 14 interviews and one focus group. Outcomes from analytical induction of the interviews and focus group, indicated possible implications to best enable participation from all parties and prepare the students for the labor market. While environmental influences at the level of policy, economics and social norms might form barriers to participate, study findings indicate that attachments were found necessary in the TVET curriculum. This study emphasizes the need for a structured program for attachments and integration of labor market into the TVET curriculum.