Vihiga Governor Dr Wilber Ottichilo has embarked on renovating and equipping Vocational Training Centers (VTC) in an effort to empower youths for the Job market.
Unemployment, the Governor said, is becoming a major problem especially among youths who lack technical skills. Dr Ottichilo however noted that a large part of the society undermine vocational training because of the popular cliché that the centers are for the poor performers. Most youths and even parents choose university education over vocational training but then the university graduates end up at home due to lack of job opportunities.
“We sacrifice so much to afford university education for our children but they end up staying at our homes due to lack of jobs. What the country needs right now are technical skills,” said Ottichilo.
The Governor urged youths to make use of vocational centers and acquire technical skills that counties like Kisumu are thriving on. He added that the country needs more of technical skills to grow economically.
Vihiga county is among counties with the highest number of registered vocational centers. Of the 31 centers in the county, 28 are registered and youths are being urged to join such centers to equip themselves with lifetime skills that will see them create their own jobs and boost the country’s economy.
So far the government pays a total of Kshs. 15,000 for each student in vocational centers relieving those who pay for school fees. Besides that, there is the bursary kit that students in these centers can also benefit from.