(2021-2024) supported by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
In partnership with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), PEP supported local researchers to work with four Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Centers operating under the Kenyan Ministry of Education to evaluate measures to support young women transitioning from school to work, and tackle continued gender-based employment segregation.
The project assessed how soft skills training is critical in addressing such employment segregation and patriarchal socio-cultural norms by improving young women’s agency and ability to make strategic life choices. The study also aimed to identify the skills and traits most beneficial to young women and men for transitioning from training to employment. Upon completion, researchers brought together relevant stakeholders from the fields of employment and vocational education, including government representatives to share the evidence, which was well received by the Federation of Kenya Employers and the State Department of TVET, among others The study was supported by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) as part of their Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women (GrOW) – East Africa initiative.
Find out more about the study in this PEP blog – Soft skills boost job prospects and pay for young women in informal sector
Read more about the findings below.
Despite a long history of technical, vocational education, and training (TVET) in Kenya, including substantial financial investments, youth unemployment remains high, particularly among women. While the TVET curriculum addresses important gaps in technical skills, it often ignores soft skills. A team of local PEP researchers found that providing gender-sensitive soft-skills training as part of TVET courses smooths the students’ school-to-work transitions, improving their job search efforts and increasing the likelihood of full-time employment. The training was particularly effective for improving the actual labour market outcomes of young women who believe they have control over what happens in their lives.
