Building skills for young plumbers and electricians through dual apprenticeship training (PropelA)

In Kenya, approximately one million young individuals flood the labour market annually, facing challenges in securing employment. Vocational Education and Training (VET) has the potential to address youth unemployment and foster sustainable, innovative economic growth. However, the existing VET system in Kenya often operates independently of the private sector's needs, resulting in a workforce with mismatched skills set, especially in fast-growing sectors like the construction sector.

Implementation Phase 2022-2025 – Planned Intervention Areas:

1. Establish and operationalise high-quality Dual Apprenticeship in Nairobi and Mombasa: Building the capacities of the training providers and private companies to implement dual apprenticeship; Developing curricula, instructional materials, further develop trainers and design top-notch workshop.
2. Secure public sector recognition and establish co-financing mechanism: National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) approves the model, companies, schools, and the curricula; Overall financing model to cover the dual apprenticeship training is finalised; Private companies access NITA levy fund to cover the dual training.
3. Build capacities of enterprise networks: Building capacities of enterprise networks that seek to jointly deliver the vision of enhancing the overall performance and the quality standards of the industry.
4. Supporting institutional partners for scaling up of dual apprenticeship model: Training schools promote dual apprenticeships and enrol new employers as part of their business development strategy; Training schools and associations have the capacity to provide the necessary support to the new employers adopting the dual apprenticeship model.

Project partners

• Hilti Foundation
• Hilti AG
• Geberit International AG
• Schneider Electric
• Leading Kenyan plumbing and electrician companies
• Kenya government agencies (NITA)
• Kenyan training centre - Don Bosco Boys Technical Training Institute - Karen
• Swiss plumbing and electrical experts from Elektrofachschule St Gallen, Baugewerbliche Berufsschule Zürich and others

Project goals

1. Vision of change: The ultimate vision of the project is that the young generation in Kenya is equipped with professional skills and competencies demanded by the construction market so they can find sustainable jobs, generate a solid income, and pursue long-term careers. This will be achieved by establishing an industry-led, government-accredited, and certified vocational skills training program for technically advanced job profiles in the Kenyan construction sector. This dual apprenticeship training modality is a cost-effective alternative driven by the private sector as it is anchored in enterprises. It ensures close links between the three training locations: practical training in companies, practical courses in workshops and theoretical classes at training centres. It is a vision where necessary mechanisms will be put in place to ensure sustainable financing by market actors (firms, government, students) and to ensure education plans meet the requirements of a dynamically developing market.
2. Systemically change how companies recruit and train: The aim is that by the end of the first project phase in 2025, the leading plumbing and electrical installation companies in Kenya have adopted the dual apprenticeship program as the most important way to recruit and train the new young workforce. Financing is secured through the companies mainly but also co-financed by the government. The competence level is recognised by the industry and the governmental training and accreditation institutes. Both companies and training providers have built competence and capacity to educate apprentices.

Expected Results

• 1 000 young people are enabled with skills and competences to develop a long-term perspective for their lives. All of them are employed and at least 300 of them will have graduated, while the others are being trained.
• 70 leading Kenyan companies are actively using the apprenticeship mechanism for recruitment, training and financing the education of apprentices.
• 200 company coaches and assessors have been trained.
• 50 trainers of training institutes have been trained in dual apprenticeship.