Antubochiu: The Cabinet Secretary for Water and Sanitation, Erick Mugaa, has called on the youth to embrace technical skills and pursue education at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. Speaking on Saturday at Antubochiu Primary School in Igembe South Subcounty during the burial of the late Joyce M’Ethingia, the wife of the late Njuri Ncheke Chairman Paul M’Ethingia and the mother of Meru County Deputy Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia, the CS emphasized that the skills gained from such institutions could empower the youth to become self-employed rather than relying solely on white-collar jobs.
According to Kenya News Agency, the CS, who was accompanied by other leaders including Meru County Senator Kathuri Murungi, Nandi Senator Cherargei Samson Kiprotich, Senator Alexander Mundigi, and Meru County Assembly Deputy Speaker Ali Mwenda, among other dignitaries, urged the youth to seize opportunities for growth in various sectors like construction, agriculture, and technology through TVET education.
Highlighting the growing need for practical skills in the job market, Mugaa remarked that technical training offers not only a pathway to employment but also the ability to create jobs and contribute meaningfully to the economy. The CS added that economies around the globe are evolving rapidly, hence the high demand for a skilled workforce proficient in technology, manufacturing, engineering, and other fields.
‘TVET institutions ensure that graduates are ready for jobs so as to meet the increasing demand for skilled workers, reduce unemployment rates, and boost economic growth,’ the CS maintained. He further noted that technical skills are key in bridging the widening skills gap in many sectors.