Stakeholders in skills training, labour movement, and industry have today endorsed the formation of the Kenya Skills Development Community of Practice (KSCOP), which will among other things explore ILO’s strategy on skills and lifelong learning for 2022-30, generate ideas that will shape skills development and improve skills systems in the country.
The ILO skills strategy revolves around the pillars of policy, governance, and financing; skills-needs intelligence; flexible learning programmes; inclusive skills, and quality apprenticeships.
The Community of Practice is a vehicle that is aimed at providing a platform for all stakeholders and social partners to exchange perspectives on the global, regional, and national actions required to accelerate the development of transformative skills in the country.
The association will also serve as a valuable forum for continuing skills development conversations and advancing knowledge sharing and collaborations among stakeholders on matters of skills development. The members will address challenges in skills development, share best practices, and formulate effective solutions and inclusive approaches to addressing the skills gaps.
The meeting was sponsored and organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Nairobi office in partnership with TVET Authority (TVETA) and was hosted by Director General TVET Authority Dr Kipkirui Langat. It brought together representatives of Principal Secretaries of the State Department for TVET, State Department for Labour and Skills Development, and State Department of Industry.
Others present were the CEOs of KNQA Dr Alice Kande, CDACC TVET Prof. Kisilu Kitainge, KNCCI Patrick Nyangweso, the representatives of COTU, KNEC, KICD, Gearbox Kenya, Kingdon City, Special Economic Zones Authority, FKE, KEPSA, among others.
The stakeholders agreed to form committees representing various interests and thematic areas in training, labour movement, employment, and industry and nominate members to sit in respective committees. The members will then develop a skills development framework that will guide the operationalization of the Community of Practice for skills development.
The members will also draw a roadmap that will culminate in attracting more stakeholders to the Community of Practice to cover all sectoral skills and report on milestones achieved periodically.
