Be The Leader: Kenyan Career Firm Seeks To Turn Undeployable Graduates Into Highly Skilled Workforce

• BTL's Employability Skills Training Programme has significantly grown to impact skills among youths in six countries in Africa
• Notably, 917 beneficiaries across Zambia, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Rwanda were impacted by the programme
• Job placement saw a 10% success rate within three months post-programme completion

Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, leverages more than three years of expertise in financial, business, and technology research, providing profound insights into both Kenyan and global economic trends.

In a world where youth unemployment and working poverty continue challenging sustainable development goals, the BTL Skills Academy has emerged as a beacon of hope for many young people lacking employable skills.

Be The Leader (BTL) is a career consultancy firm that has partnered with American Spaces Kenya, particularly American Corner and Moi University, to offer employment skills development training to the youths.

On Saturday, December 16, the American Space hosted the end-of-year gathering for all the beneficiaries of the Employability Skills Development Programme to assess the milestones that had been achieved in 2023.

Growth and expansion of the academy

According to the 2023 report, the BTL academy has significantly grown to impact skills among youths in six countries in Africa.

Notably, 917 beneficiaries across Zambia, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Rwanda were part of this transformative journey, marking a pivotal milestone in the academy's global outreach.

Impact on youth employability

According to the 2023 report, there was a significant growth in career development training and soft skills took centre stage, showcasing a remarkable 30% increase in communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities among participants.

Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, Cavin Apodo, the founder and executive director at BTL and lead Employability Skills Development trainer and consultant, said the programme has achieved success, and one of the main achievements is the inclusion of people with disabilities in the programme.

"The programme has been of great impact, especially on the youth, who've been the majority beneficiaries. Having participated in the program, they have always enjoyed free consultancy services on CV/Proposal writing and interviewing skills, something I feel a handful of them have been struggling with. But what makes me happier is that the program has been inclusive of people living with disabilities," said Apodo.

Job placement and career development

According to the 2023 report, job placement saw a 10% success rate within three months post-program completion, and the real success lay in the career advancements reported by 55% of employed participants, underscoring the program's effectiveness in fostering sustainable careers.

Need for employability training.

Speaking during the end-of-year gathering, Martha Otieno, the founder of Firstep Hub, a leading informal labour outsourcing company, noted the need for employability training, stating that graduates from the education system are not fully equipped for the job market. Similar sentiments were echoed by the Cavin Apodo.

"So employability skills are very important to the youth and graduates as they bridge the gap between the technical skills they earned in school and the modern job market and workplace demands. You can imagine a scenario where a doctor has poor communication and coordination skills; the patients will suffer the wrath of a lack of such critical skills," said Apodo.

"The skill mismatch that exists between the technical and soft skills has been a leading cause of so many graduates not only being unable to attain jobs but also not being able to sustain these jobs, leading to high levels of unemployment," he added.

Most employable skills

In other related stories on TUKO.co.ke, a survey by the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) revealed skills that are most sought after by employers in Kenya.

The Skills Needs Survey, undertaken in March-April 2023, sought to assess shifts in skill demand for the present and future work environment, specifically focusing on enterprises within various sectors of the economy that are members of the Federation of Kenya Employers.

The study found that the most sought-after skills among employers were engineering skills provided by TVET institutions, namely computer and software engineering, electrical and electronics engineering, and mechanical and production engineering.