SKILLS PAY OFF NEW PROPEL A STUDY SHOWS INDUSTRY TRAINING BOOST BUSSINESS GROWTH AND CREATES PATHWAYS YOUTH JOBS
"New Study Reveals Industry-Led Skills Training Delivers Business Returns and Offers Solution to Kenya’s Youth Unemployment Challenge,
By Bruno Aero Family Media Staff Digital Writer Nairobi, Kenya July 21, 2026 6Hrs ,
A new Return on Investment (ROI) Study has revealed that industry-led skills development can significantly boost business productivity, improve youth employment outcomes, and provide a scalable solution to Kenya’s workforce challenges.
The study, conducted on the PropelA Dual Apprenticeship Programme, found that companies investing in structured apprenticeship training achieve measurable economic benefits, including improved productivity, increased competitiveness, and strong returns on training investments.
The findings were unveiled during the PropelA Business Impact & Investment Insights Breakfast convened by Swisscontact Kenya, bringing together private sector leaders, government representatives, development partners, industry associations, and workforce development stakeholders.
Conducted independently by Orange & Teal on behalf of Swisscontact, the study established that companies participating in PropelA achieve an average 30 per cent Return on Training Investment (ROTI), generating approximately KES 2 million in net value per company and recovering their investment within three years.
The research further showed that nearly 87 per cent of the value generated comes from apprentice productivity gains, demonstrating the direct relationship between skills development and improved business performance.
Speaking during the event, Swisscontact Kenya Country Director Sharon Mosin said the findings highlight the need to rethink skills development as a driver of economic growth rather than simply a social intervention.
“Skills are not simply a social investment. They are economic infrastructure. Just as roads connect markets and energy powers industry, skilled people drive productivity, competitiveness, and growth. When businesses invest in skills, they are investing in their own future,” Mosin said.
The study comes at a time when Kenya continues to pursue industrial growth, expand infrastructure investments, and create employment opportunities under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Despite increasing demand for skilled workers, many employers continue to experience difficulties finding workers with practical competencies required in modern workplaces. At the same time, thousands of young people enter the labour market without clear pathways from education and training into decent employment.
According to Swisscontact, the challenge reflects a wider disconnect between skills development, industry needs, and employment opportunities.
The PropelA programme was designed to bridge this gap by placing employers at the centre of workforce development. Through a dual apprenticeship approach, young people receive both workplace-based learning and classroom instruction, enabling them to acquire practical skills, industry experience, and recognised certification.
Since its establishment, PropelA has partnered with more than 70 companies, trained over 400 young people, and achieved an employment rate of more than 80 per cent among participants.
Mosin said the programme demonstrates that youth unemployment and skills shortages are interconnected challenges requiring industry-driven solutions.
“For years, we have discussed youth unemployment as one challenge and skills shortages as another. The evidence shows they are two sides of the same coin. PropelA demonstrates that when employers become co-investors in skills, businesses gain productivity, young people gain opportunity, and the economy gains a stronger workforce,” she added.
The study also highlighted the potential of apprenticeship programmes to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by improving productivity, reducing skills gaps, and strengthening competitiveness.
Initially focused on electrical and plumbing trades, PropelA has expanded into welding, lifts and escalators, maintenance services, and selected hospitality occupations. The model presents opportunities for further adoption in manufacturing, energy, transport, agribusiness, and other high-growth sectors.
As Kenya seeks sustainable solutions to youth unemployment and economic transformation, the PropelA ROI Study provides evidence that investing in skills development can deliver tangible economic benefits.
The findings demonstrate that industry-led apprenticeships can strengthen enterprises, improve employment prospects for young people, and support the development of a skilled workforce capable of driving Kenya’s growth ambitions under BETA.
"The study concludes that sustainable economic transformation requires alignment between skills, systems, and investment.
“Skills without opportunity create unemployment. Capital without capability increases risk. But when skills development is aligned with industry demand, businesses become more productive, young people become more employable, and economies become more competitive,” the study notes,
Comments
Post a Comment