Projects

1) Kenya Initiative for Vocational Education and Training (KeVET)

Joining hands to improve the employability of Kenyan youth through the Dual Training System: The KeVet Project

Since 2015 St. Kizito Vocational Training Institute is collaborating with German partners to offer demand-oriented dual vocational training to Kenyan youth. With the financial support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and technical support of sequa, the Chamber of Commerce Giessen-Friedberg and the Chamber of Skilled Crafts Frankfurt-Rhein-Main formed the Kenya Initiative for Vocational Education and Training (KeVET) together with several stakeholders in Kenya. The aim is to align vocational education and training more closely with the needs of the economy and thus to improve the employment opportunities of young people in Kenya. St. Kizito Vocational Training Institute partnered up with the initiative since its inception.

German Experience: low youth unemployment

Germany has a long and successful tradition of Dual Vocational Training. Dual vocational training combines theoretical education at a vocational school with on-the-job training in work processes in a company. This system is widely regarded as one of the reasons for exceptionally low youth unemployment in Germany. 

Modernized Automotive Courses

In a first step, St. Kizito with support of its German partners, conducted a needs assessment with companies in the automotive sector and consequently modernized and upgraded existing NITA curricula for automotive courses. New modules were developed in cooperation with the industry and international experts and added to existing NITA curricula. The result has been labelled NITA plus. Since 2016 St. Kizito offers Dual Vocational Automotive Courses with the modernized and upgraded curricula under the KeVET umbrella. At present, there are three courses on offer taught in three semesters over a period of 18 months: Motor Vehicle Mechanics, Electronics and Body Work & Spray Painting, presented in three levels (Grade III, II and I) and examined by NITA at the end of each level. 

Focus: practical in-house training in leading Kenyan companies

St. Kizito has partnered up with several leading companies from the automotive sector to give the students the opportunity to gain industry experience and on-the-job training through regular periods in the company. Typically the trainee spends around 40 to 50% of his time within the company. During the time at St. Kizito theoretical knowledge is offered with the help of up-to-date learning materials and state-of-the-art equipment. To ensure a consistently high quality of training regular training of trainers are conducted. All three aspects are made available with the support of KeVET. 

Successful implementation of KeVET

Since 2016 around 600 young men and women have benefitted from the training under KeVET and DTS. The completion rate for the courses is on average more than 90% with more than 80% of the graduates being able to find jobs with the skills they acquired through the Dual Training System courses. A remarkable achievement is the very high the percentage of women who joined and succeeded in courses that traditionally are for men, like Motor Vehicle technology. St. Kizito has so far collaborated with 50 companies. Almost all companies were content with the programme and the performance of the students and chose to take in more trainees after their initial participation. St. Kizito`s dual vocational training under the KeVET project, supported by the German Government, is beneficial to young jobseekers in Kenya, for the competitiveness of key sectors of the Kenyan economy and it ensures the availability of a skilled, highly trained workforce, which in turn provides the solid basis for a company’s competitive and innovative strength.

Vision

To be a model institution mainly oriented to the less privileged youth which offers a holistic education, provides quality technical, entrepreneurial and vocational skills always in line with emerging technologies and new ways of training.

Mission

To provide an educative environment where students, management and staff acknowledge their value, dignity and talents through communitarian life acquiring suitable skills aligned with the job market and emerging technologies in partnership with relevant companies and organizations.

Our core values are;

Ø  Realism

Ø  Communion

Ø  Learning through following

Ø  Love for work

Ø  Charity

Ø  Responsibility

Ø  Integrity