OCT 17 – The State Department of Labour and Skills Development, part of the Ministry of Labour, has announced a partnership with Corporate Career Academy (CCA), the East African Business Council (EABC), and other stakeholders to co-create, convene, and co-host the 2nd Annual East African Employability Summit 2024 (EAES24).
The summit is scheduled to take place from October 29 to October 30 at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) in Nairobi, under the theme “Building on the Gains: Closing the Youth Employability Skills Gap in the East African Community.”
The objective of the summit is to reflect on a decade of progress, revamp strategies, and build synergies to tackle the region’s employment challenges, particularly the mismatch between skills and available jobs.
While announcing the event, Shadrack Mwadime, the Principal Secretary for Labour and Skills Development, highlighted that the summit aligns with the government’s agenda of creating job opportunities both locally and internationally.
“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’s devotion to. “he said.
Philip Pande, the Executive Director of CCA, noted that the challenges posed by the youth bulge extend beyond Kenya’s borders to the rest of the East African Community (EAC).
“We believe that entrenching skills for employment, navigating labour migration and overall mobility of the youth will catalyse regional integration.” he said.
Dr. Wanjiru Kariuki, the Secretary for Skills Development at the State Department for Labour, has been appointed to chair the multi-stakeholder team responsible for organizing the East African Employability Summit 2024.
Government entities involved in planning this landmark event include the State Departments for Labour, EAC, Digital Economy, Diaspora Affairs, TVET and Higher Education, Youth, KALRO, and the Public Service, among others.
Key private sector partners backing the summit include members of the East African Business Council from the eight member states, the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), Kenya Association of Manufacturers, and eMobils.
