The State Department of Labour and Skills Development in the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has joined forces with the Corporate Career Academy, CCA the East African Business Council, EABC and other stakeholders to co-create, convene and co-host the second Annual East African Employability Summit 2024 (EAES24).
The EAES24 is scheduled for October 29-30 at the Kenyatta International Convention Center, Nairobi under the theme Building on the Gains: Closing on the Youth Employability Skills Gap in the East African Community.
It will ride on the tremendous milestones achieved in the inaugural summit EAES23 and the second Uongozi Career Awards.
The overarching objective of the East African Employability Summit 2024 is to reflect on the decade of progress, revamp strategies and build synergies in dealing with the employment challenge in the region which is further compounded by the mismatch between skills and jobs.
Secretary Skills Development Dr. Wanjiru Kariuki has been appointed to chair the multi-stakeholders team tasked with delivering this all-important summit.
Other government MDAs also involved in the planning of this landmark event include the State departments for EAC, Digital Economy, Diaspora Affairs, TVET and Higher Education, Youth, KALRO, the Public Service among others.
Notable private sector partners throwing their weight behind the summit are members of the East African Business Council from the 8 member states, the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), Kenya Association of Manufacturers, eMobilis.
"The Ministry of Labour and the government of Kenya find the employability conversation fundamental when demographic evidence points at the East African region as the youngest on the continent. The summit is also in tandem with the president's devotion to creating opportunities home and away,'' said Shadrack Mwadime, Principal Secretary, Labour and Skills Development.
Philip Pandem, Executive Director, CCA, on his part, said:
'"The characteristic difficulties that come with the youth bulge transcend the Kenya borders to the rest of our neighbours in the EAC. This coupled with the increasing number of young people acquiring refugee or immigrant statuses in the region demands urgent solutions. We believe that entrenching skills for employment, navigating labour migration and overall mobility of the youth will catalyse regional integration.''
EABC Regional Coordinator, SMEs, Youth & Women Moses Kanyesigye added;
"At EABC we are excited to bring onboard our collaborative business community as we deepen the conversation on training with industry to meet the skills and labour demand in our common market.''
"I am delighted to be driving this agenda with a team of transformers representing a cross-section of diverse stakeholders focused on nothing less than training, skilling and equipping the youth with 21st-century and-demand skills for employment and entrepreneurship. We invite more stakeholders to co-create with us for a lasting impact,'' Skills Development Secretary Dr. Wanjiru Kariuki said.