Athiriver Member of County Assembly Jeremiah Kaloi has expressed fears that the skills gap among graduates from Vocational Institutions in Athiriver was due to training with outdated machinery.

Kaloi said the outdated machines and equipment being used in Polytechnics are no longer available in the market owing to high unemployment rates because graduates could not be absorbed in the market.

He noted that some employers have shared the challenges they are facing by having to re-train students from some polytechnics as they are not versed with modern technology thus costing them time and resources which is a major contrast to those already trained on modern machine operations.

The MCA was speaking at Athiriver Vocational Training Centre where he said that he has solicited some private firms and companies to donate their modern machines to the local polytechnics and also train tutors so that the students will be armed with reliable skills and ready for employment opportunities.

The new modern machines are m
eant to equip learners with modern marketable skills where they will be able to complete tasks faster and to a higher level and produce quality products.

‘I have requested some private companies at the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Athiriver to donate modern sewing machines to a local public polytechnic and as well help trainers as a way of solving the problem,’ said Kaloi.

He added that he has visited several factories in Athiriver dealing with various products such as textile and apparel, Macadamia, liquor and Pharmaceuticals and plans to secure employment for 600 youths in Athiriver by end of year.

‘We will directly link skilled youth to employers and they must be disciplined, patient, enduring, focused and hardworking,’ Kaloi said.

Source: Kenya News Agency