...The high rate of unemployment in Laikipia County has been asource of great concern for policy makers in county governmentand other key sectors. One of the contributing factors to this stateof affairs is the lack of practical work-based experience amongthe graduates.Every year, hundreds of young people graduate from post schoolinstitutions and universities with certificates, diplomas anddegrees from a wide range of academic and technical disciplines.However, their preparation for after-school work and life isgenerally low, leading to a sense of frustration and a great feelingof betrayal of the societal contract i.e. growing up, schooling andraising a family and contributing to the countys growth.Employment opportunities for the youth marks an importanttransitional period towards independence, increasedresponsibility and active participation in county as well as societaldevelopment. The converse is also true; left on their own withoutattendant remedial strategies, they are likely to fall into social illssuch as crime, drug and substance abuse, and religious fanaticism.As one of the largest employers, the County public service has arole to play in ensuring that the youth, especially those withrelevant qualifications, are offered opportunities to enable themgain practical work experience and/or fulfil the legal requirementfor registration by professional bodies. It is therefore pertinentthat the County public service establishes an internshipprogramme, which would be a contribution to the governmentseffort to alleviate youth unemployment by offering them a chanceto gain workplace experience, thus enabling them to have acompetitive edge in their job search

Download