Careers of the future and why African nations should invest more in TVET

By Samuel Otieno

On July 29, 2024, Kenya’s technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector celebrated a 100-year milestone in a colourful event at the Kabete National Polytechnic, Nairobi.

The celebrations, attended by various TVET heads and stakeholders, marked a century of dedication to empowering Kenyan youths, fostering innovation, and driving economic growth through skills development.

However, there are lingering questions regarding how much we have achieved in the TVET sector. These questions can only be answered through a proper analysis of the context we are in now.

Data shared by the British Council indicate that as many as 65 percent of today’s students will be employed in jobs that do not yet exist. While this statistic may be startling and even confusing, it simply implies that even as we take our children to school, we cannot be certain of the jobs and careers many of them will have in future. This uncertainty requires rethinking of the education and training we give our children.

To prepare young people for future jobs, education systems must be futuristic. This means embracing modern technologies, fostering lifelong learning, emphasising soft skills, and preparing students to navigate a global, interconnected, and dynamic job market.

But this drive to prepare young people for future jobs could be more urgent for Africa, which has the world’s youngest population. It is estimated that by 2030, there will be 375 million young people in Africa’s job market. This population is projected to grow to more than a billion people within just a few decades thereafter, making it the largest in the world.

Therefore, African governments are already grappling with how to ensure this crucial demographic is leveraged for economic growth and sustainability. The solution is to invest more in TVET for the following specific reasons:

Harnessing the demographic dividend: Investing in TVET ensures that the youth advantage is not wasted, and that they contribute positively to the economic growth of the nation.By equipping youths with relevant skills, TVET supports sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly those related to quality education, decent work, and economic growth.

Skills development for employment: TVET programmes can provide young people with practical skills that align with market needs, making them more employable and fit to seize the opportunities that come with the future of work. TVET can also equip youths with entrepreneurship skills and mind-sets, helping them to start their own businesses and reducing dependence on formal employment sectors.

Economic growth, industrialisation, and diversification: As African countries aim to diversify their economies and move towards industrialisation, there is a growing demand for skilled labour. TVETs can play a critical role in developing a workforce that can support sectors such as manufacturing, construction, and services. A skilled workforce can further increase productivity and competitiveness in the global market, driving economic growth and improving living standards.

Social stability, peace, and security: TVET can promote social stability by helping reduce economic inequalities through skills training across board, including the disadvantaged groups. By offering young people opportunities for meaningful employment, TVET can help reduce the risk of social unrest and political instability that often arise from high unemployment rates.

Innovation and technological advancement: TVET can support youths in adapting to technological changes. As the world embraces the Fourth Industrial Revolution, TVET programmes can help young Africans gain the technical and digital skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing job market driven by technological advancements.

TVET institutions can become the real hubs of innovation where young people are trained to think creatively and develop solutions to local and global challenges. Investing in TVET is therefore not just an educational strategy, but a comprehensive approach to addressing unemployment, fostering economic growth, promoting social stability, and ensuring Africa’s youthful population becomes a source of strength rather than a challenge to governments.

By focusing on TVET, African governments can unlock the potential of their youth to achieve long-term development goals.

About Zizi Afrique Foundation

Zizi Afrique Foundation (ZAF) works at the intersection of evidence, policy, and practice, and uses research as a pathway towards improving public education system.

Zizi’s areas of focus include Values and Life Skills, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Parental Empowerment and Engagement, Whole Child Development, and Technical and Vocational Education.

ZAF envisions a world where all children and youth learn and thrive. Through our work in the Whole Youth Development and the Future of Work portfolios, we contribute to the nurturing of a generation of children and youth who are well-equipped with the skills for learning, living, and working.

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The writer is the Director of Advocacy and Partnerships at Zizi Afrique Foundation, a not-for-profit company committed to improving learning outcomes for children and youth who are furthest behind. [email protected]