Employment opportunities for 500 youth in Kilifi

Over the past six months, Safal MRM Foundation has continued to strengthen the journey from skills training to employment for young people through Mabati Technical Training Institute (MTTI).

Our focus remains simple: training should lead to meaningful opportunity. Between April and September, we therefore continued investing not only in technical skills, but also in industry exposure, career support and stronger connections with employers.

Growing access to technical skills

Demand for vocational training has remained strong. By the end of September, MTTI had enrolled 1,155 students, representing approximately 96% of its annual target of 1,200 trainees.

Earlier in the year, the Institute also expanded its training offering with new diploma programmes in Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. Examination performance remained encouraging, with 220 NITA candidates and 41 KNEC candidates recording 100% pass rates during the first half of the year.

This growth provides an important foundation, but our priority is increasingly what happens after training.

Connecting young people to the workplace

MTTI's Career Services Office continues to help students bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace.

By September, 66 students had been placed on industrial attachment, while approximately 38 students had received support with CV preparation and employment documentation. Career Services is also providing individual career guidance and counselling as students prepare to enter the workplace.

During September alone, 11 graduates secured employment across areas including cosmetology, plumbing, transport and logistics.

New relationships with salons, spas and a barbershop in Mombasa also created 18 attachment opportunities and seven employment opportunities, with the businesses expressing an intention to continue taking trainees periodically.

Partnerships opening new pathways

Industry partnerships remain central to creating these opportunities.

During the reporting period, MTTI continued working with AutoXpress Kenya on Light Vehicle Mechanics training. A partnership with KCB Foundation was also launched in May to support youth skills development and employment in the construction sector, while collaboration with the Technical University of Mombasa supported assessment and certification of participants in the Pre-Fabricated Installers Programme.

A further 35 AutoXpress trainees were preparing to begin industrial attachment from 1 October, extending workplace exposure beyond Kilifi and Mombasa to opportunities in other parts of Kenya.

Preparing for a changing world of work

We are also expanding the kinds of opportunities young people can prepare for. Thirty trainees participated in MTTI's Applied Digital Literacy programme, gaining exposure to areas including cybersecurity, cloud computing, digital citizenship, artificial intelligence and software engineering. Three participants were already recorded as placed by June, with the programme focusing on practical pathways into entry-level digital employment.

Looking ahead

The progress of the past six months reminds us that completing technical training is only one part of the journey. Young people also need workplace experience, career guidance and employers willing to give them a chance.

Our next priority is therefore to continue strengthening the pathway from training to attachment, employment and sustainable livelihoods, while building more partnerships with employers who can provide young people with that crucial first opportunity.

Thank you for continuing to support young people in Kilifi as they build the skills, experience and confidence needed to create better futures for themselves and their families.

With gratitude,
Safal MRM Foundation