A digital laboratory upgrade at St Thomas Kanja Vocational Training Centre in Embu County is expected to strengthen practical skills training and increase the institution’s capacity from 300 to 500 trainees.
The Sh1.5 million project, funded through the Safaricom Foundation’s TVET programme, provides digital infrastructure aimed at equipping young people with practical digital skills and improving their employment prospects.
The intervention comes amid challenges in access to technical and digital skills in Embu County. Census data show that only one per cent of the county’s population has reached youth polytechnic level.
Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire and Safaricom PLC Mount Kenya Region General Manager Patrick Mburu unveil a plaque during the handover of an equipped ICT laboratory funded by the Safaricom Foundation at St Thomas Kanja Vocational Training Centre on September 24, 2026.
Embu’s local employment rate stands at 25 per cent, compared with a national average of nearly 62 per cent.
At the same time, industry demand increasingly requires computer literacy and technical expertise.
Speaking during the handover, Safaricom PLC Mount Kenya Region General Manager Patrick Mburu said the Safaricom Foundation was focused on helping young people acquire skills that match market needs.
“Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions like St Thomas Kanja are the strategic solution. When we strengthen this foundation, we provide a practical path that ensures when you walk out of these gates, you are ready for the industry,” Mburu said.
The upgraded digital infrastructure is expected to help address the practical skills gap while expanding access to training at the institution.
The project also seeks to strengthen the ability of local youth to acquire digital skills that can improve their prospects in the job market.
Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire and Safaricom PLC Mount Kenya Region General Manager Patrick Mburu engage with St Thomas Kanja Vocational Training Centre student Wincate Wanyaga during a demonstration of her project at the handover of an equipped ICT laboratory on September 24, 2026.
