The State Department of Labour and Skills Development in the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection in Kenya has partnered with Corporate Career Academy (CCA), the East African Business Council (EABC) and other stakeholders to host the second Annual East African Employability Summit 2024.
Riding on the milestones achieved at the inaugural Annual East African Employability Summit 2024 (EAES24) and the second Uongozi Career Awards, the EAES24 is scheduled for 29-30 October at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi, under the theme “Building on the Gains: Closing on the Youth Employability Skills Gap in the East African Community.”
The overarching objective of the East African Employability Summit 2024 is to reflect on the decade of progress, revamp strategies and build synergies in dealing with the employment challenge in the region, which is further compounded by the mismatch between skills and jobs.
Dr Wanjiru Kariuki, Secretary for Skills Development, has been appointed to chair the multi-stakeholders team tasked with delivering this all-important summit. Other government MDAs also involved in the planning of this event include the State departments for EAC, Digital Economy, Diaspora Affairs, TVET and Higher Education, Youth, KALRO, and the Public Service among others.
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Notable private sector partners backing the summit are members of the East African Business Council from the eight member states, Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), Kenya Association of Manufacturers and eMobilis.
“The Ministry of Labour and the government of Kenya find the employability conversation fundamental when demographic evidence points at the East African region as the youngest on the continent. The summit is also in tandem with the President William Ruto’s devotion to creating opportunities home and away,” said Mr Shadrack Mwadime, Principal Secretary for Labour and Skills Development.”
Mr Philip Pande, Executive Director, CCA, said the characteristic difficulties that come with the youth bulge transcend the Kenya borders to the rest of its EAC neighbour. He noted that this coupled with the increasing number of young people acquiring refugee or immigrant statuses in the region demands urgent solutions.
“We believe that entrenching skills for employment, navigating labour migration and overall mobility of the youth will catalyse regional integration,” Mr Pande said.
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Mr Moses Kanyesigye, Regional Coordinator, SMEs, Youth & Women at EABC said: “At EABC we are excited to bring on board our collaborative business community as we deepen the conversation on training with industry to meet the skills and labour demand in our common market.”
Kenya’s Secretary Skills Development Dr Wanjiru Kariuki said: “I am delighted to be driving this agenda with a team of transformers representing a cross-section of diverse stakeholders focused on nothing less than training, skilling and equipping the youth with 21st Century and demand skills for employment and entrepreneurship. We invite more stakeholders to co-create with us for a lasting impact.”
