NAIROBI, April 22 (Xinhua) — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday signed a letter of intent with China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) Kenya office to upskill young Kenyans and connect them directly to industrial placements and job opportunities.
Through the NextGen.Ke program, the partnership will place 1,000 young people in private-sector roles, enabling them to refine professional skills while earning a stable monthly income.
Jean-Luc Stalon, UNDP resident representative in Kenya, said that while nearly 1 million youths enter the national job market annually, only 200,000 positions are available, and the partnership with CRBC will help bridge this gap.
He added that the program will complement ongoing initiatives spearheaded by the Kenyan government and industry partners to provide local youth with market-ready skills.
“This is the first letter of intent we are signing with CRBC Kenya office as a major private sector company in Kenya. They have agreed to onboard 1,000 youth for a period of two years, and they will also contribute financially to the program,” Stalon said.
Du Shan, the executive general manager of CRBC Kenya office, said the firm is committed to addressing employment challenges for Kenyan youth as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
She emphasized that the NextGen.Ke program will inject vitality into Kenya’s economic and key development agenda, alongside deepening practical cooperation between China and Kenya in talent development and infrastructure upgrade. ■
