A section of leaders in Garissa County has urged youths to enroll for various technical courses in the youth polytechnics available to avoid being idle at home.
Garissa deputy governor Abdi Dagane said the youths should enroll in the polytechnics to get training and acquire skills for them to get jobs in the county.
Speaking on Monday in Garissa town, Mr. Dagane said the young people should take up jobs that require technical skills instead of looking for elusive white collar employment so that they can be self-reliant.
He noted that the county cannot employ all the youth, saying that white-collar jobs are limited and that there are much more avenues of making it successful in their lives.
The deputy governor further said that negative attitudes amongst the youth hindered them from pursuing technical courses.
“Young people in the county are not being too keen on technical jobs or joining vocational training institutions.
I urge them to take up jobs that require technical skills.”
“The county government is focusing more on young people acquiring technical skills. The county has invested heavily in the Garissa Vocational Training Institute which is free of charge for young people from the county,” he added.
County executive committee member in charge of Education Habiba Nasib urged more youth to be enrolled for various technical courses.
Ms. Nasib said it was unfortunate that technical institutions have very few students despite the county government making the courses free.
“We are aiming to be self-reliant so that all plumbers, electrician and other technically skilled personnel come from our county,” she said.
The leaders were speaking during an enrolment drive of vocational training which is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Aga Khan Foundation in partnership with the Garissa county government.