Photo courtesy of www.globalgiving.org
The county government of Kitui has assured students of job opportunities in the county government and other sectors of the economy within the county.
Speaking last weekend during a career day at Thitani Girls Secondary School in Kitui County, James Nduna, Board Secretary at the Kitui County Public Service Board outlined the various job opportunities in the county, urging the students to endevour to give back to their county once they complete their education.
“We have 10 ministries in the Kitui County government and jobs are available in all these sectors,”
said Nduna, adding that Information Communication Technology is one of the most promising careers due to the fact that Kenya is now in a digital age.
The county official emphasized on the need for fresh graduates to tap into the growing mining sector within the county.
“This is one of the richest counties in minerals in Kenya. Kitui county has the largest coal deposits in the country. There is therefore need for more students to consider mining and engineering related courses. This way, you will not only give back to your county but also to the country at large.”
He admitted that those kinds of skills are lacking currently, a reason for the current students to consider these courses as opposed to pursuing careers in already “saturated fields”.
Nduna urged the students to widen their scope in career choice.
“Mining is now a big opportunity for our county and I will encourage you to consider courses in this area,” he said.
He explained to the over 500 students the diverse career opportunities that they can pursue.
“A pharmacist can work in research institutions such as Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa), Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) or even work in private practice,” he added.
The school principal Christina Mwanzia said that the career day was an eye opener to the students, expressing confidence that it would encourage them to do better in their examinations and consequently excel in their careers.
“This is the pioneer career day in the history of Thitani Girls Secondary School. It is an eye opener for you students in your career choices as it will prepare you as professionals, not only of this county but for the entire nation of Kenya.”
High Court Justice William Musyoka refuted claims that the job market is already flooded, instead asking the students to position themselves to take up the various jobs that are coming up in the various government departments.
“The market is not saturated as many people may want to portray. There are enough employment opportunities out there. For example, people still want justice, and this is an indication that there is still space in the legal profession. The law profession is so diverse and one can train as a criminal lawyer, family lawyer, advocate on children’s rights, gender advocate or even an environment lawyer among other branches of law,” said Justice Musyoka.
McDonald Kange, a former chief accountant at the UAP Insurance Company urged the school to consider having mock interviews with the students before they complete their secondary education.
“This will help prepare the students for the real world of work. It will also impart confidence and professionalism among the students as they move up the career ladder,” said Kange.