Youth urged to create jobs and embrace opportunities

High unemployment rates have prompted education officials to urge young people to utilize their academic qualifications to generate employment opportunities rather than solely pursue traditional white-collar positions. During a graduation send-off event in Thika for 21 nursing students embarking on apprenticeships in Germany, MKU Council Chairman and Pro-Chancellor Dr. Vincent Gaitho emphasized that graduates who cannot secure jobs often face disappointment and may engage in antisocial activities.

He urged these young people to seize existing opportunities and leverage their skills to earn a livelihood. With a steady stream of graduates annually from colleges and universities, Dr. Gaitho encouraged them to accept any jobs available and also pursue opportunities to create jobs using their acquired skills. The university intends to persist in seeking employment prospects for its students globally, while urging both county and national governments to generate more avenues for young individuals to earn a living.

Dr. Gaitho also called upon the private sector to provide employment opportunities for young people and implored banks to establish special funds and financial packages to aid youth enterprises and enable them to establish small businesses. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi echoed similar sentiments, urging students to maintain an open-minded approach towards higher education and engage in activities that can enhance their skills, improve employment prospects, and facilitate earning a living during their studies.

Jaganyi pointed out that some students are already generating income through digital platforms and social media initiatives while pursuing their studies. He noted that the 21 nursing students departing for Germany constitute the university’s sixth cohort of nursing apprentices under the specialized deployment program, totaling 105 nurses so far.

Jaganyi highlighted that international clinical experience in Germany addresses the significant nursing shortage in Europe and North America, where aging populations contribute to critical staffing gaps. He added that these students would receive practical training in Germany and deploy to various hospitals to further their professional skills, encouraging them to consider establishing their healthcare facilities upon their return to Kenya instead of relying solely on government employment.

Some of the students who benefited from this opportunity described the selection as a significant career milestone, confident that their clinical experience in Germany will equip them with advanced skills to contribute to Kenya’s healthcare system. Both Dr. Gaitho and Vice-Chancellor Jaganyi urged the government to collaborate closely with educational institutions to raise awareness among students about available opportunities and expand such programs to address the country’s employment challenges.