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How Private Sector is Investing in Skills Development in Kenya – The PropelA Story

Kenya
Initial vocational education and training
15.07.2025
Kenya is at a turning point. With over 15 million youth aged 18–34 and nearly 1 million new job seekers entering the market each year, our youth population is both a tremendous asset and an urgent challenge. Yet youth unemployment remains high around 67%, more than five times the national average. The impact is visible. Thousands of young Kenyans are leaving the country for low-wage jobs abroad. Recently, 3,000 bus drivers left for Germany, and the government plans to send up to 1 million workers overseas by 2025, not because they want to leave, but because local opportunities are limited.

Private Sector Led Training

This must change. Kenya’s private sector, the largest employer and a key driver of GDP must step in. With 85% of employers struggling to find skilled workers, it’s clear that the sector cannot afford to sit on the sidelines. The role is not just to provide jobs, but to co-create a skilled, work-ready workforce.

At Swisscontact, we are demonstrating that this model works through the PropelA Dual Apprenticeship Programme, a private sector-led initiative focused on equipping young people with in-demand skills in the construction sector, specifically in electrical and plumbing trades. The private sector leads in design of the training, co-creating an accredited Level 6 curriculum together with the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), offering real job-site training, and mentoring apprentices to meet business needs. Early results are promising:

80% of the first 76 apprentices are now employed and over 60 private sector companies are actively involved and are already benefiting from the programme.

Happy World Youth Skills Day

As we mark World Youth Skills Day, we’re proud to spotlight this success and approach through program partners on National Media stations, NTV Kenya and TV47: Private sector partners: Dr. Harish Bhanderi of Atlas Plumbers and Caroline Kanja Jupiter Energy Solutions, Government through NITA, Ms. Jane Kamau, and PropelA graduates now employed Emmanuel Mbaire , electrical technician Ultra Power Services and Benta Akinyi Plumbing Technician Trident Plumbers Ltd. 

Our private sector partner Patronics Services through Ms. Kajal Patel also highlighted PropelA in a thought leadership article on how dual training is empowering the next generation of electrical technicians.

Watch and listen below:

NTV Kenya, TV47, Daily Nation: PropelA Media Highlights:

How Kenya's Private Sector Is Investing in Youth Skills: PropelA Case Study
PropelA: A Private Sector-Led Approach to Skills Development in Kenya
Scaling up electrical skills: How dual training is empowering the next generation

The project is funded by the Hilti Foundation and Geberit AG and implemented by Swisscontact. It is a part of Swisscontact’s Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

2022 - 2029
Kenya
Initial vocational education and training
PropelA Kenya – Dual Apprenticeship for Youth Employability
PropelA Kenya helps young people move from limited training opportunities and uncertain job prospects into skilled employment. It does so through an employer-driven dual apprenticeship model in which companies co-design the curriculum, host apprentices in the workplace, and recruit the graduates they have helped train. As Swisscontact’s flagship private sector engagement project, PropelA adapts the Swiss dual training approach to the Kenyan context together with leading firms such as Hilti, Geberit and Schindler.
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