PropelA: Dual vocational training for a skilled workforce in Kenya

According to projections, about one million young people flood the Kenyan labor market every year. However, most of them have hardly any chance of finding a job, as the current vocational training is largely disconnected from the needs of the private sector. That is why the Hilti Foundation, together with Swisscontact and Kenyan experts, has launched the dual vocational training initiative PropelA, which offers the younger generation excellent, dual education that meets the market's needs.

Building sustainable job prospects

The project targets young men and women over 18 – the minimum legal age for apprenticeship training – holding a primary school diploma and a one-year craftsmanship certificate or equivalent training. The purpose is to impart theoretical and practical skills to these young people so that they can then earn a living as competent technicians in the electrical and plumbing sectors.

2022 Project Highlights

Recruitement event in Kawangare, Kenya for the PropelA program.

Successful selection and employment of trainees at companies

About 100 highly motivated trainees out of a pool of 2,000 obtained a training spot and contract as plumbers and electricians.

Training started at two training institutes

In the first few weeks, students underwent introductory trainings in the electrical and plumbing sectors, as well as courses in health and safety, in addition to social skills trainings.

First day of school in the workshop of Don Bosco vocational school.

Construction of training workshop facilities at schools
To ensure the best possible practical training, the workshops at the vocational schools have also been equipped with modern equipment. This allows the students to put the skills they have learned into practice before applying them in their everyday work in the companies.

Creation of a network of trainers

The teachers and trainee mentors at companies underwent training. They play an important role in a business because it is their job to provide support to young people at the workplace and coach them along their path to successfully completing their professional education.

Meeting of the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) with representatives of the private sector

With an event held with NITA and participating private sector companies, an important milestone was reached. A platform was launched on which companies can apply to be training companies. The companies pay students a uniform trainee stipend, and the intent is for the companies to receive financial support from NITA for each trainee.

Tools and materials for high-quality training

The first tools for the Hilti and Geberit plumber and electrician workshop facilities were handed over.  Equipping the workshop facilities professionally is a key element in high-quality training as it ensures students can learn how to work competently with tools not available in every workshop.

Outlook & next steps

The Hilti Foundation is currently working with Kenyan leading firms to develop a concept for trade associations, to ensure the sustainability of the training system, to further develop education and adapt the curriculum as the market evolves. Once the quality of the educational program is secured in 2023, the project will start to scale up. By 2025, the goal is to achieve 80% market coverage through 70 participating companies and 1’000 apprentices.

“Our goal with this initiative is to create a lighthouse project that can be transferred to other construction trades, and hopefully, over time, to other professions as well,” concludes Werner Wallner.

The first apprentices from the PropelA model will graduate in 2024 and earn a diploma from the National Training Authority of Kenya (NITA), enabling them to find sustainable jobs and build a future.