As joblessness continues to wreak havoc in Kenya, the labour migration pact between Germany and Kenya is increasingly bearing fruits by creating pathways for young people to access skills training, employment and cultural exchange opportunities abroad.
Kenya’s unemployment crisis remains a major concern.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), more than 1.2 million youth enter the labour market annually, yet only a fraction secure formal jobs.
Youth unemployment is estimated at over 13%, while underemployment continues to push many into casual work, hustles or long-term joblessness.
In response, bilateral relations between Kenya and the Federal Government of Germany have opened new frontiers through the Migration and Employment Agreement signed in 2024 in Berlin.
The pact has facilitated the migration of Kenyan students and skilled workers to Germany in search of better opportunities.
One of the beneficiaries of this framework has been Mount Kenya University (MKU), which has partnered with Hochschule Koblenz and AG Career Hub to successfully train and deploy several cohorts of nursing graduates to Germany.
The initiative has not only offered jobs but also equipped participants with global skills and exposure.
Speaking during the second edition of the German Career Fair where 29 more nursing students were commissioned for departure next month, German and Kenyan officials reaffirmed their commitment to expanding opportunities under the pact.
Mr. Joachim Stamp, Germany’s Special Federal Commissioner for Migration Agreements, said the partnership is helping fill critical skill gaps in Germany while offering Kenyan youth dignified employment.
“The number of young people working or studying in Germany is increasing. The numbers are not high yet, but they are rising. We are creating more opportunities because we need qualified people to be part of our society in Germany,” Stamp told journalists.
Kenyan officials and education stakeholders noted that the partnership resonates with the country’s development goals by addressing youth unemployment, boosting remittances and enabling skills transfer.
MKU’s Vice Chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi said that the partnership between the two countries has created more opportunities for jobs, skills trade as well as cultural exchange.
“On behalf of this institution, I express our sincere gratitude for selecting the institution as a showcase institution in the Kenya-Germany skilled labour migration partnership. This recognition reflects our shared commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for our young people while strengthening bilateral ties between our two nations,” Prof Jaganyi said.
Beneficiaries led by Lewis Kamanga, Rose Wahuthi and Margaret Waingo expressed their joy, saying the programme would allow them to advance their careers while supporting their families back home.
“Im very happy for this opportunity to further my studies in Germany. I’m optimistic that I will gain enough skills to not only help solve local but also global challenges that continue to bedevil the society,” stated Kamanga, a nursing student.
“It’s been a seamless journey and I look forward to learning and gaining more experience in Germany which I will deploy back to help my country. This, I believe is in some way helping solve joblessness in the country and most of us will be adopted in Germany,” stated Wahuthi.
The initiative is set to expand beyond nursing to include ICT, engineering and technical trades, strengthening Kenya-Germany ties while easing the pressure of joblessness at home.
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