Amid persistent unemployment, officials from Mount Kenya University (MKU) appealed to young Kenyans to apply the skills gained in higher education toward job creation rather than relying solely on traditional white‑collar roles.

During a send‑off ceremony in Thika for 21 nursing students heading to apprenticeship placements in Germany, MKU Council Chairman and Pro‑Chancellor Dr Vincent Gaitho warned that graduates who cannot find work may become disillusioned and turn to antisocial behaviour, urging them to seize available opportunities.

Gaitho highlighted that thousands of students graduate each year and encouraged them to accept any job without discrimination while also creating their own ventures using their acquired competencies.

He called on the private sector to expand youth employment and on banks to design special financing packages that would enable young entrepreneurs to start small businesses.

Vice‑Chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi echoed the message, urging students to stay open‑minded, acquire additional skills, and generate income through digital platforms while studying.

International apprenticeship programme for nursing students

The 21 departing nursing students represent MKU’s sixth cohort sent to Germany under a specialised deployment programme, bringing the total number of Kenyan nurses placed abroad to 105.

The exchange aims to address severe healthcare staff shortages in Europe and North America, while providing Kenyan graduates with advanced clinical exposure that can later be reinvested into the local health system.