 Okay, hafazi inuwe mainiwa, playing and interacting with my guest, but many thanks to Barry Mossers for that engaging conversation with the previous guest, that is the videographer and the editor. Well, we're going to talk about some skills, what do you need for the market anyway? Have you gone to Congress with what skills you've got? This morning Janinefor jenimean sat to you man, let me begin from CEO of Isahi Mahtu. We are many of us with the same name, in fact the same two names, my name is James Mwangi and I am a generation Kenya alumnas. You are trying to make it look so English, you know, Jiruaga, you know that thing. However you like it, we can mix all of them. Alright, Garibunizanam probably can begin from this side from the COO because it's the main guy of the day here. Who is, what is, Generejo? That's a great question. So generation is a youth training to employment program that was founded five years ago. Our partners McKinsey and Company did a study and realized that there is a big gap between what employers are looking for at the entry level. For jobs at the entry level, there is a big skills mismatch and they came up with a concept of how do we train people who will be ready to add some value to employers who are looking for that talent. At entry level, we got some funding from USID to start the programs and over time we have continued to get more funding. Right now we are funded by USID as I mentioned, we are also funded by CIDA, the Swedish International Development Agency. We are funded by Ikea Foundation, Safayukon Foundation as well is one of our partners and they help us with the funds that we have to run this particular program. So far, we have trained 17,400 plus students and 84% of them have been placed into jobs. Hey, you're making me feel like man, I got talent really because you mentioned about talent and these go hand in hand. They do go hand in hand. So what we do is before we design a program, we do a market sizing or market scanning standing to probably understand, to actually understand what are the employers looking for in a specific sector. For example, in the financial services, what skills and competencies are they looking for and what are their struggles with entry level jobs. And once we understand that, then we come and we develop a program in partnership with the industry and with the employers and then we train and then the employers hire. The advantage to the employers is that they get a better return on investment, which really means that the students that they get from generation produce at 60% to 70% better than somebody who just came from the normal recruitment channel. Exactly, because we train them for it. The quality is good. The attitude is fantastic. They've got certain behavioural and attitude skills that you're looking for. They're still longer in the job, so the retention is there. They're easier to promote. They're easier to promote. I think I need them to come. Oh yeah, then if you're hiring, let us know. Playing a few people. I think I need to come for me to get a promotion, probably. They're struggling. Anyway, you've talked more than 100 things that we can even talk right now. But let's talk about the issue of the five-year span that you've been globally. You've been functioning for five years actually to be specific. Yes, we've just celebrated off your birthday in November. Yes, now you're in Kenya. There's doing some quite tremendous staff in Kenya and you're really advancing the lives of young people. That's correct. We are looking at statistics and we're getting a shot when you look at the rate of unemployment in the country and under re-employment and even informed. Some people are not even informed about the marketplace. Yes. What do you think we need to help? What do we need to do to remedy all these? Well, the youth unemployment challenge is not only a Kenya challenge. It's a global challenge. Of course, within the Western Hemisphere, the challenges are different as opposed to Africa. But what some of the things that I feel as a country that we need to do is that we all need to collaborate. So it's not the government that should solely look at this youth problem. It's everybody. The employers, training partners like us, donors who are helping. And the idea is that we need to match the skills that are needed for entry-level talent to the employers that are employing. Because employers, most of them care about finances. Yes, what we give back. Exactly. Are you productive? Are you producing? Do you have the right attitude? Are you able to add some value? And these are things that a lot of people do not know or don't have the ability to produce. And that's when generation comes in and we help them with three things. The first one, of course, is the mental skills that you need. Mental skills. Mental skills is first. The second one is the behavioral skills that you need to understand. When you actually get a job, how do I conduct myself? And then the third one, which is also very important, is the technical skills. We want somebody who has a skill that can actually produce and earn money for the organization that they are working with. Thank you for mentioning the three main key things that you guys are trying to have with young people. Among the three, which one do you think is the most predominant in the job market? I think attitude, my mental ability and hindsight to be able to manage challenges that come your way with foresight and wisdom is very, very important. However, skills are also good. Paramount. Yes, it's very important for you to have skills, but I feel skills are easy to get, but the way you think, the way you conduct yourself needs a bit more training, a bit more wisdom, more coaching, more mentorship for you to get to the level that is required. And when you talk about skills and talent, we have a young man right next to you, and he's the young man that, he has a big name as we say it. Yes. Let's talk about who, who is James, why are you here and what do you do? Well, James is a, I'm 26 years old, young man. I am three things. I am a journalist and I am a creative and I am a sewing machine operations. Let's say I am a fashion designer of my own kind. So, when I went to school and you know, after I graduated from Kampas and Tamaki, Tamaki, Tamaki, I was at Presbyterian University. I did journalism and mass communications at the diploma level, I graduated. I started Tamaki here and there of course I worked in a few stations and then in 2018 I learned about the narration Kenya. But deep inside me all this time I was really, really, really wishing that I could get an opportunity to go to a college to study fashion and design. Right. Even when I was in Kampas. But of course I was not at the point to fund myself to, you know, these expensive colleges. But I learned about generation through their social media sites and I learned that they have a sewing machine operations program. So I immediately, without any hesitation, without consulting with anybody, got into it and I was screened and I was tested and found fit to go into the program. And within three months I was a guru. I was a guru in sewing. You are a veteran by now. I became a guru in sewing and immediately after the training I was absorbed in immediately. Because we were actually getting trained in a sewing factory. So we would get trained and get into the job immediately. I went there and I sewed, I worked for quite some times and then an opportunity to travel outside the country opened up for me. I went to Qatar. Again I started working in a uniform making company. Of course it was a factory and then after that I came back to the country in April this year. And in May another opportunity opened up for me to go down. Jens must be very lucky to have such opportunities even to go abroad. Well that's what you do when, that's what happens when you're driven by passion and you're really, really building your skill. Above beyond the training through the experience and through me being a creative, I was able to perfect my skill up to a point where when I was down at Mombasa I worked as a quality checker. That means that I was the one who was approving the quality of all the people who were sitting in that factory. I was in a line of about 70 operators, but whatever they produced I was the one who was approving the quality and taking it ahead for shipment and such things. That's quite a good conversation you've given us and a good engagement. We've got more than 100 things to add but before then you've mentioned something about the cause that you are taking. Before we come back to you let me go back to the COO. Sewing is just a branch of the causes that you've been doing. You have over five causes. Yes we do. And so just to mention we do a market sizing study to be able to understand which causes we are going to train for which specific industry. Oh you don't just heed to the market. No we just don't go and just train people. It's very intentional and very targeted. So one of them is the financial sales service and this is for people who work within the financial sector. It could be banks, insurance company, micro financing organization. We also have direct sales and this is for people who work in the distributorship of products, mostly fast moving consumer goods. And then we have retail and restaurants and this is for stewards or waiters who work in small restaurants per se. And then we've got customer service program and these are people who work in any customer service backend whether it's a call center backend process. We recently started a program. We've just piloted in Mombasa. We've had our first graduates. It's called the food and beverage program. And this is meant to cater to the tourism industry down at the coast. We've run it for the last six weeks. We've had our first graduates. Actually it happened last week. We have placed 50% of them into actual jobs. We are looking for the other jobs for the other 50%. And overall we do this a lot with the support of the employers. We have about 250 employment partners. We just hired directly from generation. They give us a call. They tell us we need this number of people and provide them. And these are the same people that you're telling me of. Before you even begin any course. Correct. To get to have a deliberation and a talk of some of the gaps that need to be filled up. And he has mentioned about the protein that come with joining the generation. Correct. Generation Kenya. And one among the thing that I noted from Jens is that he noted that after I was done an opportunity came up. Yes. How sure am I that once I'm done I'll get this opportunity? That's a great question. I also, just to add on, there's also the programs that I mentioned are more soft skills. The one that Jens went through is called an SMO program. It's a technical school. We run it within the export processing zones in Kenya, in Nairobi and Mombasa, in factory. So that is a technical program that you actually get the technical job. You do the technical skills. But what we do is that we assure them that whenever you get into a generation program we will assure you an interview. Definitely. You are guaranteed of getting an interview with an employer. Wow. And since you already understand, you up to 85% are ready as far as what the employer needs, then it's very small percentage that you need to learn from the employer once you get the job. And this is just probably about their products, their processes, internal things with that specific program. Right. So that is why you are teaching about the three branches that you are so much emphasizing on. That is the skills and all these kinds of stuff. Right. Because we have a negative mindset within this house? Well, I wouldn't really call it negative. Kind of say you need to be prepared for the work. So you think the universities are preparing people or they are not? Well, it really depends. I think there is a lot of collaboration that is happening with the universities. In fact, we are partnering with some of the universities. One university is one of our partners. And the idea is to see how we can get graduates ready for employment. That's the most important thing for us. And we feel that what employers really need and what the people out there, there's a bit of a gap for entry level, not for manageria and the stuff. For entry level. And that's where generation comes in and that's where we try to bridge that gap. Well, of course, as we move ahead, we'll continue to partner with universities, we'll continue to partner with employers, we'll continue to design new programs, all geared towards reaching as many youth as we can. Our initial plan was a million youth employed. We're going to come to statistics in a few, but I want to come back to the veteran, the guru. Yes. As he said. The man himself. Alright, the man even. I love the flower you're putting on. Thank you very much. It's called lapelping. Lapelping. Alright, you're looking good. You talked about you left for Qatar to go and join a company. Yes. Then it came back to Kenya. So what are you doing in Kenya? So in Kenya right now, I do several stuff. Alright. I make these bands. Alright. This is a travel bag. It's made out of pieces of kitenge material. I hope you can hold it for you. Yeah, it's made out of kitenge material. And it has a sponge inside and a lining inside to make it firm and durable. And the straps are very, very firm. And they go all the way down there so that the bag stays in shape. So this is what I do. And all this is my creativity from the scale I got from the generation. Otherwise, if I did not get that skill, I would not have made such beautiful things as these. Also, as you can see, I'm wearing a shirt, a normal shirt, but it has been decorated. And this is also what I do. And probably I can just show other things that I do inside here. Wow, there's a hood. Yeah, this is a hood. So normally in other places, you would get this at 2500 shillings. But what I do, I buy these hoods down at Gikomba, buy the kitenge and then I decorate it like this. And I'm able to earn a living from this job. Even when I'm not employed, I'm still paying all my rents. I'm still feeding myself. Let me say, I'm at a good place because the generation gave me the skill to take me to places. Yes, this is a thousand bob. I think more than 50% off from the normal market trade, which is 2500. So everything that you've used here, everything is local? Everything is local. This one is bought here, made here, it's made in Kenya. So even the shirt that you're wearing? Even the shirt I'm wearing, it's properly decorated as you can see. What do you call this, Deko? Well, this kitenge is called dashiki kitenge. The way dashiki kitenge is printed, is printed in such a way when you cut off the floral part and the boundary, then it's your kitenge in Meisha. So you just decorate like this and it's appealing to the eye. People just love it. So when people love something, they want to have that something for themselves. So you got your own shop? Well, I got my own shop. I operate from Kikuyu, but mainly my customers are from my online sites. I'm on Instagram, I'm on Facebook and Twitter as at it's James Mwangi. And then I also run an online magazine. It's called Zinduka Kenya. You can find it on issu.com and also on Facebook as Zinduka Kenya Magazine. That's where I put all my stuff. I am a journalist. So I put my journalism there. So what about the trokka? Isha trokka in fact. Fortunately just last week, we published our second edition of the Zinduka magazine where we have taken on the challenge of becoming the champions of technical skills here in Kenya. So I have my story there. There is the government side of the story and a lot of things are happening in the country. And one of the things I would like to tell young people is that we are always being told that we are the leaders of tomorrow, the future and everything. There is something I would like to add there that yes, youths are the future, but the future is technical. And technical does not retire. The future is technical as you say. The future is technical. So go join the generation, get into their programs and I tell you, you will be ready for the market. You will be absorbed immediately because I was absorbed immediately because I was actually getting trained in the job place. I love even the way you talk, you articulate your points. That's quite good as a journalist you have to be. I love the way you've done it. Kima, we are looking at the statistics as we as you had mentioned Alilan. Do you think we are preparing the young people even as you said about what is really there in the market? Well, I think there are quite a number of things that are changing the way the many industries are. If you look at every industry has got a digital component to it, whether it's media, whether it's agriculture, whether it is financial sales, whichever industry. We need to think of what are the jobs available now and whether they will be available 10, 20 years down the line. And that is the skill that we need to build today for people to be ready for the world as it's changing. It's not something new that has happened. It's something that continues to happen in every part of the world over a period of time. And for us I think we need to look deeply at the education infrastructure, the quality of education that we give, the internship opportunities that we give, the collaboration that we have between the employers and of course the training fraternity. We have to look at the legislation that is going in place. We've seen a lot of investment being done in the tivets in the technical vocational training institute. We have had SIDAC come along and get into a framework of certifying the skills that have been done in the tivet industry. I think it's a good start. And I think if we all collaborate, everybody within that space, then we will be building a better future. We also have to look at in some essence some level of self employment, which is what generation we are also thinking about. We understand that formal jobs and formal employment will only take us so far. So we are in the process of also thinking around how do we come up with an entrepreneurship program? Which partners do we need? How do we go about the funding? What kind of training do we give and what kind of business incubation support do we give over time? So we have to all be thinking ahead around this idea of youth employment because for sure the average age in Africa is about 23 to 25 years of age. That means there is a lot that needs to be done for these people and for our youth to have jobs over the long term. The marketplace is quite growing in a very fast speed and rate. We are trying to look at some of the things that we can venture into. People are being told there is another flow in some fields and everything else. And then he brought in the issue of self employment. The question at hand probably someone who is sitting at home will be asking is, we have told about self employment, self employment. Looking at the economic situation of the country people are shutting down. Which are the best opportunities you can say for sure young people can venture into these years of now? Well, as James said, definitely manufacturing would be the easiest if you have the skills for it. You need the skills. Secondly, I think would be a better advanced form of agriculture. There is a way we should also think around tapping into jobs. Business process outsourcing jobs are available and they contribute a big chunk into what the youth can do. You go to sites like guru.com, ilans.com, have the technical skills. You can do some of these jobs that are available internationally. So we have to think about just not limiting ourselves to working for a certain institution, in a certain capacity. You have to think about what do I do with what I have right now, with the resources that I have, with the technical knowledge that I have and with the opportunities that I have. We'll be coming back to that in just a few. But I want us to watch a clip from the generation Kenya and I hope it's ready, the clip. Yes, I've just seen something that is quite noteworthy. Ninety percent of the youth are unemployed in Kenya. I've seen that running. I was so much interested in 90 percent of the unemployed, I think. Well, I think if you look at the fact as if formal employment is all that would contribute to that number. But once you bring in the entrepreneurs and informal employment, the number would be much lower, especially between the ages of 18 to 24. I think the number is about 8 to 10 percent. Our program seeks to impact the lives of the 90 percent of unemployed Kenyans who are below 35 years of age. So who are unemployed or under employed. It means that you might have a job or you might be doing something but it's not really able to sustain your basic day-to-day needs and therefore you can come to our programs and then once you go through the process, you most likely get a job where you will earn above minimum wage. All right, what are the requirements for one to join you? Well, it depends on the program. So like the program that James did, which is the sewing machine operator program, you just need a KCPE. Okay, how about KCPE or KCPE? Ah, no, no, no. KCPE, sorry, sorry, for the technical program. KCPE, the one you have to standard aid, that's it. That's the one that we need. For any technical program, which is the sewing machine operator, we take anybody with that. You had said the right thing. ZMU was like in a big shock like KCPE, you know. KCPE, right. But for the other industries, we need some plus in KCSE. But that does not mean that we do not take people who've got higher education. It's just a minimum qualification. That's just the bare minimum that you need. If you have any other form of tertiary education, it's perfectly okay. If you've got higher than a deep left, it's perfectly okay. We'll admit you to all our other courses. Where are your schools? Where are your branches of schools where you based? All right. We are currently in 23 counties in Kenya. Wow, you're only here 25? 23, rather. 23 counties in Kenya. In 40 locations. From Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Naivasha, Eldoret, Kisumu, Migori, Siaya, Kakamega, Bungoma. The list goes on. In the country? Yes, we're almost everywhere, other than the northeastern part, which is something that we're also thinking of how to get into northeastern. It's quite lovely of how you've talked about you've ventured into. When exactly do you come to Kenya? Well, we started five years ago. Are you still the same for the global? Yes. That's really good and we'll be applauded for that. Let me come to you, James. Yes. You've talked about what you went there for three months. Yes. Our courses are three months? Well, the courses are different. The one that James took, because it's a technical program that is mostly run within the APZ factories, is the longest. It takes from age to four weeks. However, we have programs that take as little as four weeks, but majority is between four to six weeks. Right. It would come passing. But probably someone is asking how much do I need to pay to join, to be a student and everything else. Alright, that's a great question. So there is a commitment depending on the program that you will take between 1500 to 3000. That's it. That's all you have to do. For everything? For everything. And you're good to go? Yes, you can heat generation Kenya and get your course ready to go. Correct. You don't have to be a millionaire to do this. No, you don't need to be a millionaire. In fact, the reason why we subsidize the course that much is because we want to really have a big impact. So we know that when youth go through this program, they get employed. There is a big impact around where they come from, the community where they come from, their family, the employers, the government. So the whole ecosystem kind of benefits for when people get employed. Alright, gentlemen, let me come to you now. Let's talk about your business. How are you gaining through it? Is it quite good in Nishikapuwana? Well, I started this business immediately. I finished the training. So I was working and doing business. Working and doing business at the same time. Future CEO. Exactly. Thank you very much. So it's been almost 16 months now, a year and four months into the business. And I can say that it is the only thing that I've been doing. Okay, the skills I got from generation are what I've been using to sustain myself. The clothes I wear, the food I eat, the rent I pay, everything, the tida gift, the church, I get it from the technical skills that I got from generation. And what I'm feeling is that I am growing each and every time. Each and every day I am growing, each and every day I am growing, each and every time. Being able to use my skill to actually create, to be quite innovative. Just the other day, my wallet apparently, of course, wallets always get worn out. So I was thinking about going to the shop and buying a wallet, but I thought, why should I buy a wallet? Wallet can make a wallet. A wallet made of kitenge and it's made... Don't open it. Okay. I'm tempted to pull up something. Do not pull any money. So I made that wallet and into one hour of thinking and cutting and stitching, I had such a beautiful thing. Well, it looks so nice. In fact, there has never been any kitenge. Have you ever seen anyone? So for the first time, we are launching beads at Wati Bakina. In the wild, I tell you, hearty sea of jeans through generations. The CEO himself? Yes. So I'll have to say that this, as I said, technical does not retire. You keep on growing. You keep on inventing. You keep on being creative and innovative just because you got a skill. And I'll just say that when you do these things, you rise above the notion of I have to get employed and you stop the old saying of o serikali hatuna kazi o serikali sa idea. Exactly. You can employ yourself. And I tell you that the best thing to do at where we are in the country and in the world is to have something you're doing yourself. Let you give into the world. Not always taking from the world. Not just receiving. Yes. Also give something to the world. That is what you give to the world. Not what you got away from the world. Those are the same words by Dr. Nkonsana Moyo, CEO of Mandela Institute in Zibamba. Yes. I love the way you know man or window man. I love the way you're going about it. And I'm loving what you guys are teaching these young men to do. And this is just an example of what these young men and women have been trained to do. Correct. And James, you're just one of the examples and big up on yourself kwa problema na atana. Na atana kongaliya 2 iwa and then you make it zaza. You know the success is in the success as you know. Well I always say that I may not be living so from buoyantly but my life is in a good place. My life is in a good place. I can never sleep hungry with a technical skill in my position. And I add on that skills and talent. But the wukiwana is of it is what MSR plus standard skill you're good to go because then of the day even if you're so much talented you need your skills to grow yourself. Let me give each and everyone of you a few seconds just a few seconds to give us your parting shots. Thank you very much. So as we look forward to next year we want to train close to 7000 students. This year we've just finished almost about 6000 graduates next year. We want to go up to 7000 and for us to do that we would love for the youth to come come to our centres visit our centres to know where we are just go to our website kenya.generation.org we're on Facebook we're on Instagram we're on Twitter just anyone is welcome to join. We're doing our graduation for the people who went through our program this year. It will be on the 28th of February at the KISEC and you're very welcome to join. I'll do my best and be third of course. Yes. Alright many thanks many thanks for making time to be with us. Let's have the future CEO give us your brief parting shot. Thank you very much. Well what I would like to tell young people like me between the ages of 18 to 35 is what I said earlier that youth of the future the future is technical and technical does not reach high and to achieve that I partnered with several people and we are in the process of putting together a conference that will be the first ever technical conference in the country whereby we are going to bring stakeholders and institutions and NGOs like generation we hope they are going to join us as we impart this knowledge into the young people to tell them that this is the way and this is the only way that can put money into your pockets and you can find me on my social media if you want any of the products that I have here the hood, the bag, the wallets as well Yes as I got this one. On Facebook, on Twitter and Instagram I'm at it's James Mwangi and you can also like my page it's called Zindika Kenya that's where you will be able to follow all our preparations for the conference. Alright. Can I send salams to some people Please do. Alright. Please go ahead. Shout out to my dad unfortunately he's in heaven he passed away three years ago and also my mother watching from Dagoreti and also there's a woman who you know people say that you have your biological mothers and you have other mothers so I can shout out my spiritual mother Mrs. Ngedaiga and lastly my high school classmate who told me to shout him out he just put Meshero in Eldoreti he also sells clothes so we had the same business Thank you very much. Alright. Do you have anyone to give a shout out to? Probably for you. You know fathers really have either my wife and my kids in my house. I think you just wrap them up. I know for me it's just like my kids you know and my wife happy holidays and they done me that. Many thanks guys for making time to be with us you know teaching about skills and talent. Big up generation in Kenya for what you're doing and from it I got myself a wallet big up of course to James but naskikuna kitundani so statuasa easy but right after this natuatu kikunakadawa apa I just gonna pull it Anyway my name is Kiranja Alex very much coming up next don't go anywhere.