IMPLEMENTATION OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AMONG YOUNG WOMEN IN GARISSA COUNTY, KENYA

SOPHIA YUSUF GURE; WILSON MUNA

doi:10.61426/rjssh.v7i1.485

SOPHIA YUSUF GURE Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
WILSON MUNA, PhD Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya

DOI: https://doi.org/10.61426/rjssh.v7i1.485

Keywords: Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Skills Development, Curriculum Alignment, Technological Integration, Industrial Collaboration

Abstract

Despite increased policy attention toward Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Kenya, young women in Garissa County continue to face challenges in accessing quality training and acquiring market-relevant skills. TVET institutions in the county still experience constraints related to curriculum relevance, instructor preparedness, technological limitations, and weak collaboration with industry, which affect the effectiveness of skills development outcomes. The aim was to examine how curriculum alignment, instructor competence, technological integration, and industrial collaboration influence skills development among young women in Garissa County, Kenya. The study investigated the role of TVET implementation as a strategic pathway for enhancing employability, job readiness, and economic empowerment among female graduates in a marginalized region. The study employed a descriptive research design targeting female graduates from TVET institutions in Garissa County. Simple random sampling was applied to select 194 respondents from a target population of 378 young women who completed their TVET training between 2020 and 2024. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, and the instruments were reviewed for validity and pilot tested in Wajir County to ensure clarity and reliability. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically to capture participants’ perspectives on the implementation of TVET and its contribution to skills development. The findings collectively show that TVET implementation in Garissa County is moderately effective, with curriculum alignment emerging as the strongest predictor of skills development, followed by instructor competence, technological integration, and industrial collaboration. The study contributes new empirical evidence from a marginalized region by demonstrating how these implementation dimensions jointly influence skills development among young women. Strengthening curriculum review, enhancing instructor professional development, improving access to technological infrastructure, and formalizing industry partnerships were identified as key measures necessary to improve skills acquisition, employability, and economic empowerment among young women in Garissa County.

Author Biographies

SOPHIA YUSUF GURE, Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya

Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya

WILSON MUNA, PhD, Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya

Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya

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