Retraining TVET Trainers in Kenya for Changing Global Trends and Dynamics

Abstract

TVET skill training is recognized worldwide as an avenue for preparing citizens for the world of work. Through TVET institutions, industries and organizations expect to receive prospective employees with high standard employable skills who will turn round the production and manufacturing to a competitive level. Unfortunately, industries continue to express considerable dissatisfaction with the general low level employability skills demonstrated by most prospective TVET graduates. This has been attributed to the fast changing industry technology and the general reluctance of TVET training institutions to infuse these skills into prospective trainees. Nonetheless, this is an indication of the status of TVET institutions which have for long time suffered negative perception and marginalization by most African governments. Because of this, facilities and equipment of training in these institutions are either inadequate, obsolete or cannot compare to those in industries where prospective graduates will work in future. Furthermore, reports show that most trainers in TVET institutions lack basic technical skills to even operate simple workshop machines and equipment used for training. Experts have attributed these to existing gaps in TVET teacher pedagogy, lack of updating trainer skills, insufficient involvement of industry and have recommended various strategies for revamping performance of this noble institutions including improving increasing funding and retraining of TVET trainers. This research adopts desktop research and survey methodology and sought to establish TVET trainer’s perception, challenges and mitigation put in place in addressing delivery of desirable employability skills for changing dynamics of industry. The findings and recommendations are expected to assist in addressing the shortcomings identified in TVET trainer capacity building programmes.