In Kenya, if young people don’t go to university, they can continue their education by attending a technical institution for vocational training. But often, they can’t afford to do this. So, the TUI Academy Kenya offers those young people the opportunity to stay in education by learning a trade after secondary school.

TUI Academy Kenya runs until 2025, training 90 apprentices aged 19-26 at the Severin Craftsmen Training Center during that time. Each year, 30 young people become electricians, plumbers, carpenters, masons or metal workers. As well as vocational training, the students receive life skills coaching which covers how to open a bank account, basic financial management and how to prepare a tax return. Students complete the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) examinations Grade I, II and III, and receive the respective Kenyan certificates as well as the AHK Class-C certificate issued by the German foreign trade chamber.

The TUI Academy Kenya also offers students the chance to undertake practical work experience, giving them valuable exposure to the hospitality industry. Under the guidance of supervisors, students are placed in hotel maintenance departments to gain work experience and help them prepare for the job market. After graduating, the fully trained tradesmen enter the job market, where their newly acquired skills are in high demand and help them find work or set up their own businesses. This also reduces the ongoing unemployment problem within the Kenyan coastal communities, boosting the regional economy and improving the livelihoods of its communities.