NIBS Technical College Board of Directors Antony Wanyoike (L) receives the ISO 9001:2015 certificate from TVET PS Dr Esther Thaara Muoria.NIBS Technical College has been awarded ISO certification, which the institution said was borne out of its goal of delivering high-quality Technical and vocational Education and Training (TVET).
The certification for ISO 9001:215 was presented by Zacharia Lukorito, director of Standards and Trade at the Kenya Bureau of Standards, which is the certifying body, during the college’s 15th graduation ceremony on Friday.
"We are dedicated to continuous improvement and this certification is just one step toward the many great things we have in store for the future. NIBS Technical College has been centre of excellence in TVET Training for the past 24 years. Over the years, we have seen the college grow from humble beginnings into a beacon of hope and paragon for thousands of students, shaping careers, empowering minds and building resilient and reliable futures," he said.
“This year, we experienced a great loss with the passing of our founder. Her vision, leadership and passion are tightly woven into the very fabric of this institution and her legacy will live on in everything we do. While it has been a challenging time for all of us, I assure you that NIBS remains strong. We have rallied together, guided by the same vision and values that have driven us for the past two decades,” said Wanyoike.
He urged the over 1,400 graduates who were awarded certificates and diplomas in various disciplines to keep pursuing their dreams as they start a new phase of their careers.
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in your lives. Whatever path you choose to pursue, carry the NIBS spirit of excellence, innovation and determination. We are confident that you will succeed and we are proud to have played a part in your journey,” he said.
This, she said, would standardise training and equip students with the requisite skills they would need to work in Kenya and abroad as the state pushes with its agenda to labour export and has signed bilateral labour agreements with several countries.
While TVET institutions fall under the State Department for TVET and are regulated by the TVET Authority (TVETA), there are those that are also overseen by other Ministries and State Departments. These include TVET institutions that are set up to offer specialised training in line with a Ministry’s mandate.
“TVET needs to be brought under one umbrella where we are going to ensure that as a sector, whether you are in public or private sector, we are giving our students the absolute skills that are not only useful for the development and industrialisation of this country but also those who are interested, they can go and ply their trade in the first world,” said Muoria.
“As the government, we are on the fast track signing several bilateral labour agreements so that for you young people who are interested in working out there, we build and get those opportunities out there for you.”
She further advised students to make the best use of the time they are at the different TVET institutions.
“There are two things that you must have to get the opportunities in the country or out there – you need to get the skill, so you have to be serious about what we are teaching you in all these institutions and secondly, be a person of noble character,” said Dr Muoria.
“As you go out, embrace these things, one, continuous hard work, we are at an age where what you are doing with what you have is paramount. The second is that you should be a nice person, treat everybody nicely and when you start earning and you have something to extend to someone else, it is by giving that you receive.”