University dons have urged the government to place skilled professionals at the centre of Kenya’s labour export programme, saying international opportunities will only benefit the country if graduates are adequately trained and prepared for global workplaces.

 The scholars from Mount Kenya University (MKU) stressed on the need for exporting trained and resilient skilled labour that can bargain in the global market.

 University Council Chairman and Pro-Chancellor Dr Vincent Gaitho said Kenya should strengthen the preparation of professionals seeking opportunities in the international labour market to become competitive.

 Speaking in Thika during a send-off ceremony for 21 nursing students leaving for apprenticeship opportunities in Germany, Dr. Gaitho said the country should not view labour export merely as a way of reducing unemployment, but as an opportunity to position Kenyan professionals in sectors where their skills are in demand globally.

He said structured training and partnerships with foreign institutions should form a key part of efforts to expand employment opportunities for Kenyan youth abroad while ensuring they compete on the basis of skills and professional competence.

  “Labour export should not be taken to mean the country will be in any way deprived of its professionals but rather an opportunity to position the country’s labour in the international market,” said Dr Gaitho.

The 21 students are the sixth cohort to benefit from MKU’s partnership with Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences in Germany, bringing the total number of apprentices who have benefited from the programme to 102.

 The university said the partnership, which has run for seven years, combines professional training with German-language preparation, enabling participants to transition into the German healthcare system.

MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi said the programme was giving the students an opportunity to acquire practical experience, international exposure and skills aligned with the demands of the healthcare sector.

 He urged the apprentices to take advantage of the exposure to broaden their professional capabilities while maintaining high standards of discipline and integrity.

Prof Christian Lebrenz of Hochschule Koblenz said previous Kenyan apprentices had established networks in Germany that were helping new participants adapt to their new environment.

 MKU said it plans to increase the number of apprentices sent to Germany to 200 in the coming year as it expands pathways for Kenyan professionals seeking global career opportunities.

by Muoki Charles