With more than a million young people entering the labour market each year, Kenya continues to grapple with the challenge of connecting youth to meaningful work.

On Wednesday, government officials, employers and development partners gathered in Nairobi for an Employers Summit convened by Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) and the Ministry of Youth and Creative Economy to explore ways of bridging the gap between training and employment.

Held under the theme “Bridging the Employment Gap Through Collaboration,” the summit brought together government officials, private sector leaders, development partners, and over 2000 young people who have gone through SHOFCO-supported training and job placement programmes.

According to programme data shared at the summit, about 68 per cent of participants who complete the training move into employment, with women accounting for nearly 70 per cent of those placed in jobs.

The summit’s chief guest, Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy Fikirini Jacobs, echoed the call for partnership, singling out SHOFCO’s grassroots reach.

“SHOFCO and other partners are doing the hard work of finding this talent in the places others don’t look. They understand that a skill is a bridge from hardship to hope,” the PS said.

Jacobs emphasized that the government cannot tackle youth unemployment alone.

“This summit is a call to action. We are here because the government cannot do this alone. It takes the state, the private sector, and development partners including SHOFCO working together to build a bridge that can actually hold the weight of our national ambition,” he said.

The PS also challenged private sector players to move beyond passive recruitment.

“I say, come to the classroom. Help us design the training and shape the future,” Jacobs urged, adding that technical and vocational skills are “the gears and engines that turn our nation’s economy.”

In her remarks, CEO of the Retail Trade Association of Kenya (RETRAK), Wambui Mbarire, said for far too long, the retail sector has been treated as an inferior job as youth pursue white-collar careers.

“For years, retail has been unfairly viewed as a temporary stop for young people waiting for so-called better jobs. Yet retail builds discipline, customer intelligence, entrepreneurship and leadership. 

“It is a serious economic engine that deserves respect and recognition as a dignified career path for millions of Kenyan youth,” she said. 

Rajeev Arora, Executive Director of Sainath Education Institute, called for stronger collaboration between employers, training institutions and community organisations to tackle unemployment and strengthen Kenya’s workforce.

“Imagine a pipeline where SHOFCO identifies talent at the community level, Sainath offers training and employers offer internships and introduce pathways. This is not charity, this is structured economic development,” he said. 

Through collaboration with Sainath under the SHOFCO Women Empowerment Program (SWEP), 1,650 women have been trained in apparel manufacturing and related skills.

Of those, 1,222 have already transitioned into formal employment within Export Processing Zones and other manufacturing companies.

The summit featured a high-level panel discussion that brought together employers in different sectors. 

For SHOFCO founder and CEO Dr. Kennedy Odede, the numbers tell a story of both urgency and hope.

“When I look at the 250,000 young men and women who have come through our livelihoods programme, I see the future workforce of this country.

“When I see our girls moving into dignified work, manufacturing jobs at Sainath, or our youth taking up positions at APA Insurance and Carrefour. I don’t see beneficiaries. I see the new backbone of our economy,” Odede said.

According to program data shared at the summit, 68 per cent of participants who have completed the program are now in work. Of those supported into employment, 70 per cent are young women.

The organisation has also delivered entrepreneurship training to 120,000 youth, creating pathways into self-employment and enterprise development, while intentionally including marginalized groups.

More than 600 persons with disabilities and 1,900 refugees have been engaged in training and workforce development initiatives.

Odede noted that Kenya stands at a demographic crossroads. “With 75 per cent of our people under the age of 35, we are one of the youngest nations on earth. Every year, a million enter the labour market. Our job is to make sure they find a path to a dignified life,” he stated.

He urged the government to deepen investment in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and called on industry to open doors through apprenticeships, internships and inclusive hiring.

He said progress would depend on closer cooperation between government, industry and training institutions.

The summit was attended by Nominated Senator Catherine Mumma, who commended SHOFCO for its holistic approach to development. 

“SHOFCO has shown us that human beings do not survive on one thing alone. Human beings need health, water, education, and food to survive. That is what SHOFCO is doing, unlike many organisations which focus on one thing,” she said. 

The summit also highlighted outcomes from partnerships linking community organisations, training institutions and employers.

In the insurance sector, a 2024 partnership with APA has enabled 161 youth to earn their way as certified APA agents after receiving targeted training, mentorship and certification through the Insurance Regulatory Authority.

Behind the statistics are personal stories of resilience and opportunity. 

Juliet Nyambura, 24, now an APA Life Insurance Agent, told the summit that her journey reflects a wider truth about Kenya’s youth.

 “Young people are ready to work when employers and training institutions open the door,” she said.

After financial constraints cut short her hospitality studies, Nyambura worked as a hospital receptionist before joining SHOFCO’s entrepreneurship training program.

She later secured placement at APA Insurance, completed further training, passed her exams and earned her ECOP Insurance Certificate.