The competition dubbed Golden Spanner is targeting about 150 mechanics from 13 regions in Kenya/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 20 – Total Kenya in partnership with Toyota Kenya have announced a three-month skill-based competition targeting jua kali mechanics.
Toyota Kenya says it will ensure quality training for the mechanics with MD, Arvinder Reel saying the skills acquired will help build self-reliant young people who embrace blue color jobs and create opportunities for themselves.
Arvinder Reel: “Nearly every major urban centre in Kenya has numerous motor garages or some sort of vehicle repair yard. However, most of these facilities are manned by unqualified artisans who take up the positions of mechanic. Most of these mechanics are young people who only have skills acquired from serving as spanner boys. They lack the professional know-how and employ rudimentary methods, which sometimes result in costly damage to vehicles.”
The competition dubbed Golden Spanner is targeting about 150 mechanics from 13 regions in Kenya.
“This competition is about to change the lives of these young people who stand a chance of winning the grand prize of a brand-new Toyota Hilux pickup or Sh500,000 and Sh250,000 for 1st and 2nd runners up respectively to help further grow their businesses,” outlines Reel.
“In addition to getting a chance to win the grand prize, the competitors will further hone their mechanic skills and knowledge in automotive servicing and repairs which will help grow their individual start-ups or businesses,” said Managing Director of Total Kenya, Olagoke Aluko.
Toyota Kenya has said it will ensure quality in the training offered throughout the competition by utilizing skilled and experienced trainers and coaches from the Toyota Kenya Academy.
“This is to ensure that we create opportunities in the informal sector whose rapid growth in the last decade makes it a frontier of economic success for the youth even for those who don’t win get to win,” expounded the Toyota MD.
According to the economic survey 2019 by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the contribution of self-employment to household income is at 1.9 per cent and 6.2 per cent for rural and urban areas respectively.
A big number of this group is engaged in the jua kali sector and other Small and Medium Enterprises.
