A total of 294 trainees have graduated from the Eldoret National Polytechnic after completing a two-week upskilling programme sponsored by the Tourism Fund to strengthen skills in Kenya’s tourism and hospitality sector.
The programme saw 262 participants trained under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme, while another 32 underwent training in content creation. A further 52 hotel managers and owners benefited from the initiative, which sought to improve skills and capacity within the hospitality industry.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony on behalf of Tourism Fund Board of Trustees Chairperson Samson Some, Board member Patrick Ngere said more than 8,000 workers across the tourism and hospitality sector had so far benefited from targeted upskilling programmes supported by the Fund.
Ngere said the Tourism Fund would continue working with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions across the country to equip tourism professionals with practical, industry-relevant skills.
He urged students pursuing tourism and hospitality-related courses to take advantage of opportunities offered through the Tourism Training Revolving Fund.
More than 5,800 students have so far benefited from the fund, which facilitates access to training opportunities for Kenyans seeking careers in the tourism and hospitality industry.
“The Fund also supports professionals already employed in the industry who wish to further their education, enhance their skills and advance their careers,” Ngere said.
The RPL programme allows workers who have acquired skills through experience or informal training to have their competencies assessed and formally recognised, helping them improve their qualifications and career prospects.
The two-week programme was designed to equip Kenyan youth and tourism sector workers with practical skills to enhance employability, improve productivity and contribute to the competitiveness of the tourism industry.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the country’s tourism workforce by ensuring workers acquire skills that respond to industry needs.
The graduation marks a milestone for the trainees as they transition into employment, entrepreneurship and further professional development in the tourism and hospitality sector.
The Tourism Fund said its continued partnership with TVET institutions would help expand access to skills development while supporting the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda through investment in human capital and employment opportunities.
