INSTITUTIONAL ENGINEERING TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING PRACTICES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ALIGNMENT WITH INDUSTRY SKILLS REQUIREMENTS IN SELECTED CENTRAL KENYA COUNTIES

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to scrutinize institutional engineering Technical Vocational Education and Training practices and implications for alignment with industry skills requirements in selected Central Kenya counties. There are concerns that engineering TVET training practices are not aligned to the industry and this mismatch has implications for the supply of skills to the labour market and youth unemployment. The study based its theoretical explanations on the Human Capital theory whose basic tenet is that education and training are investments that make individuals more productive and more employable, thus economic efficiency. Literature review in this study isolated several gaps including the need for soft skills alongside the technical competencies, the need for the industry to take the initiative for collaboration in order to cut on the cost of retraining and reorienting staff since they are the consumers of the skilled labour from TVET institutions. To realize the objective of the study, a descriptive survey using both qualitative and quantitative methods was utilized. The study utilized 489 participants comprising 339 trainers, 3 Directors (TVET, KAM and LIWA), 24 representatives of industries working with TVET, 64 TVET engineering trainees and 59 TVET engineering trainees who have graduated. The Study mainly utilized questionnaires, interview guide and Focus Group Discussions. For the purpose of triangulation, a document analysis and direct observation were used. A pilot study was conducted on the research instruments in order to increase validity and reliability. Collected qualitative data was scored manually then organized and analysed systematically as per thematic areas in a narrative form as well as tabular form. Quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The collected data was thematically analyzed as per the study objectives. The findings of the study indicated that despite the renewed efforts to revamp TVET education in Kenya and developing countries in general, there is a significant gap between the skills required by the industry and the training offered in engineering courses in TVET institutions and which has partly contributed to the rising unemployment among the youth in the country. Based on the study findings, the study presented a number of policy recommendations including adoption of Collaborative Training Model.