The Wajir government is investing in technical institutions to scale up the quality of training, a county official has said.
The administration will, among other things, invest in equipment and facilitate training for students and staff.
Speaking on Saturday after inspecting county vocational training centres in Griftu, Tarbaj, Eldas, Habaswein, Buna and Bute, Education and Vocational Training chief officer Yussuf Dayib said imparting locals with technical skills will help create employment.
Some of the courses being offered at these institutions include carpentry and joinery, motor vehicle mechanics, masonry, fashion design and garment making.
Others are metal processing technology, electrical courses and beauty therapy.
Dayib said lack of jobs remains a major challenge for youth and giving them skills is the first step towards improving their lives.
“Unless our people join these institutions that we have with the help of the national government and acquire such skills, then we will continue relying on people from other parts of the country to do the jobs for us,” he said.
TVET county director Mohamed Mohamud said the dream to industrialise the continent could only be achieved if more focus was given to the development of technical skills.
“It is my humble appeal to our young people to change their mindset that the only way to succeed in life is by getting a white-collar job. The reality is that jobs are diminishing by the day and the only way to survive is by one equipping oneself with skills,” he said.