The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) has welcomed the government’s National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project, terming it a transformative step toward empowering vulnerable youth through skills recognition and employment creation.
In a statement, IEK President Eng. Shammah Kiteme said the project’s Recognition of Prior Learning component, which allows skilled but uncertified artisans such as plumbers, carpenters, masons, and painters to obtain official accreditation from TIVET and NITA, will be a game-changer for youth struggling to access formal employment.
“This Recognition of Prior Learning initiative has the power to build a robust, skilled workforce capable of driving national infrastructure development. By targeting those at the bottom of the economic pyramid, NYOTA can reduce inequality, stimulate local economies, and position Kenya as a leader in sustainable development,” Eng. Kiteme said in a statement.
He urged the government to ensure proper governance, data-driven decision-making, and consistent monitoring to guarantee the project’s sustainability, drawing lessons from past programs such as the Hustler Fund.
While supporting NYOTA’s focus on artisans, IEK called for attention to be extended to unemployed graduate engineers, technologists, and technicians.
The institution reiterated its ongoing campaign for the employment of 10,000 engineers as part of efforts to strengthen Kenya’s technical capacity.
IEK also raised concerns about foreign contractors importing technical labour, including electricians and machine operators, despite the availability of qualified local talent.
The engineers’ body further called upon the government to invest in sustainable industrialisation, citing the drop in manufacturing’s contribution to GDP from 10 per cent in 2015 to 7.6 per cent, which it warned threatens the national goal of raising it to 20 per cent by 2030.
“Kenya needs to stick to long-term planning and make sure the goals are achieved. We must avoid stop-gap, reactionary responses that lack clear thought and detailed plan for execution,” Eng. Kiteme noted.
The project, implemented in partnership with the World Bank, will provide Ksh50,000 grants to 70 young people selected from each of the 1,450 wards nationwide.
The programme seeks to benefit 100,000 young people aged 18 to 29, with the age limit extended to 35 for persons with disabilities.
