The government has taken a significant leap towards modernizing the management of workforce skills in the country by launching the National Skills Inventory.
The launch, through the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, follows a directive issued by President William Ruto during a cabinet meeting on the 15th of January.
The database aims to centralize and streamline skills supply data in both public and private sectors. This allows the government to enhance the job placement of unemployed youth by effectively aligning available skills with the demands of both local and international labor markets.
In a press address on Monday, Shadrack Mwadime, the Principal Secretary for Labour and Skills Development, highlighted that this initiative will also address the previous challenges of fragmentation and outdated information.
“The rollout of the National Skills Inventory will play a critical role in enhancing the job placement of unemployed youth. This initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to enhancing youth employment, and is well aligned to the constitution of Kenya which affirms the right of the youth to access employment,” said Mwadime.
Adding; “It will also help analyse the supply and demand of skills towards identifying skill gaps in Kenya. The skills database will also ensure the country has human resource reserves to meet the local demand and that surplus labour is henceforth exported towards enhancing the inflow of remittances.”
The National Employment Authority Integrated Management System (NEAIMS) will host the database, facilitating efficient data mining to gain insights into the country’s skills supply and demand.
Online Registration
The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection website, https://labour.go.ke/, provides access to the database and directs applicants to a comprehensive form for skill registration.
A pilot project has already been initiated in Nakuru and Mombasa, urging unemployed youth to register their skills. This initiative will expand to other counties starting January 30, 2024.
The State Department for Internal Security and National Administration is actively involved in populating this inventory across the counties.
The Ministry urges all unemployed individuals to register their skills data on the National Skills Inventory by following the link provided on the Ministry’s website.
Mwadime also mentioned that the government’s focus extends beyond unemployed individuals to include those currently employed.
Meanwhile, both public and private employers are instructed to submit their job orders and job opportunities on the inventory. Additionally, they are required to submit their annual employment returns to the National Employment Authority by the 29th of February.
“This submission will contribute to the skills data of the employed workforce,” Mwadime stated.
