Nakuru Vocational Centre gets equipment worth Sh20m

Nakuru Vocational Training Centre, one of the oldest technical and training centres in Nakuru County, has been facing an acute understaffing and lack of equipment.

However, in a bid to give the centre a facelift and replace the obsolete equipment, the Governor Lee Kinyanjui administration bought equipment worth Sh20 million in the last financial year.

“In the just concluded financial year, the devolved unit set aside Sh20 million to modernise our ageing equipment and some obsolete ones to give our trainees first-hand experience on what kind of machines they will be working with once they leave the centre,” said the county director of vocational training David Mwangi.

Mr Mwangi said that with an increasing population which stands at 4,251, the centre has been working round the clock to upgrade its training facilities.

Recently, some 43 street children rescued from the streets showed interest in joining the centre.

212 INSTRUCTORS

Some of the courses offered at the centre include motor vehicle mechanics, fashion and design, hair and beauty, carpentry and joinery, metal fabrication, food and beverage, agri-business, refrigeration, masonry, Information Communication and technology, electrical installation, leather work and plumbing.

Nakuru County has 28 vocational training centres with a teaching workforce of 107 which is not enough to handle a population of 4,251 learners.

“The vocational training centres have a shortfall of 212 lecturers,” said Mr Mwangi.

At least 2,000 learners seek placement in various vocational training centres in Nakuru County annually.