Role of Industry in Employee Training and Education for Performance Improvement in Kenya � Prospects and Priorities

Abstract

This paper highlights the origins, developments, prospects and priorities of industrial training in Kenya with emphasis on the role of industry in employee training and education for performance improvement in Kenya. Kenya has a National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), formerly known as Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) whose mandate is to promote the highest standards in the quality and efficiency of industrial training in Kenya and ensure adequate supply of properly trained manpower at all levels in industry. The introduction of the industrial training levy fund was expected to enhance the realization of the NITA mandate of assisting Kenya to improve its performance and become more productive and competitive in the global market. Though Kenya intends to create a globally competitive and adaptive human resource base to meet the requirements of an expanding industrial economy, this has been hampered by inadequate management and planning infrastructure in industrial training. Action research design and document analysis techniques were used for the purpose of the study. The current industrial training institutional set up and work ethic needs to change for Kenya to achieve quality results. This can be done through life-long training and education. Though Kenyas productivity level ranks low by international standards Vision 2030 provides an opportunity for significant productivity growth. Industrial training within employment learning has not been well institutionalized. Measures need to be taken to ensure that industrial training is deepened. Labour productivity has to be raised to international levels and opportunities for life-long learning enhanced. Collaboration between government, industry and training institutions has to be enhanced to address the human resource constraints that are being experienced in the rapidly expanding Kenyan economy. For Kenya to compete in the global economy, new policy directions on development of highly qualified yet flexible human resources have to be adopted.