The WorldSkills Kenya and WorldSkills UK have today signed an MoU that will allow the two to work much closer on the exchange of knowledge, ideas and best practice with an aim to drive innovation and boost excellence in technical and vocational education and training in both countries.
The agreement will see the two countries work to raise the prestige of skills and highlight their economic and social significance. As well as cooperating on events, conferences and research, the countries will share best practice.
The partnership focuses on the development of skills associated with Green Technology and Advanced Manufacturing and highlights how WorldSkills International members can use their unique insights into world-class standards to help meet the needs of industry at home and in other countries.
The main objectives of the agreement are partnership on workforce development and peer exchange of organisations, practitioners, educators, experts and young people. The skills development will be implemented through training camps with young people and experts in preparation for competitions. The two organisations will also organise best practice exchange programmes through conferences and seminars linked to international innovation, benchmarking and matters of mutual interest.
Speaking during the brief online ceremony, TVET Authority CEO, who also doubles as the Coordinator of WorldSkills Kenya Dr Kipkirui Langat said the collaboration will bring in experiences and knowledge in the areas of Renewable Energy, Electric vehicle Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Skills.
“The Target areas are in line with our intention to promote Greening of TVET and enhance local Manufacturing and hence job creation. In a world faced with rapid technological advancements, we believe that building skills that will not only enable us to meet the future industry needs but also sustainably are key to our economic success,” Dr Langat said.
The CEO of WorldSkills UK Dr Neil Bentley-Gockmann OBE, said: “We are delighted to be working with WorldSkills Kenya on this exciting new partnership. Both countries will learn from each other to develop the high-quality skills needed for the future of our economies.
“This partnership has an important focus on how we can help build our understanding of the skills required across emerging green technologies and advanced manufacturing processes. Our unique insights and work with other countries mean we can share international best practices, drive up standards and meet the emerging needs of UK employers and educators.”
The agreement with WorldSkills Kenya is the eighth international partnership WorldSkills UK has entered with its partners from the WorldSkills international network.