Assessing the Effectiveness of TVET Training in Enhancing Youth Employability: A Case Study of Kisumu County, Kenya

Abstract: TVET offers opportunities to equip youth with industry-relevant skills, bridging the gap between education and employment. However, challenges such as inadequate funding, outdated curricula, limited access to modern equipment, and negative perceptions hinder its potential. This study assessed the effectiveness of TVET training in enhancing youth employability n Kisumu County, Kenya. Social learning theory and Human capital theory were adopted. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The study targeted a population of 20,857 consisting of 20,814 TVET students, 42 Heads of TVET institutions and 1 County Education Officer in Kisumu County Government. The sample size was 379 determined using Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula. Sampling was conducted by means of disproportionate stratified random sampling. Structured questionnaires and interview guide were used to collect data. Data analytical methods were content analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics. Linear relationships between variables were determined using Pearson`s Correlation analysis method. The correlational coefficient for youth employment was=0.57 implying a moderate positive relationship between TVET training and youth employability. Government as policy-maker was recommended to institute regular reform for reviewing the existing TVET curricula in order to incorporate feedback from students and adapt to emerging dynamics of demographic dividends. The Government should increase funding, resources for TVET Institutions: The government should allocate more financial resources to TVET institutions to enhance infrastructure and support the development of industry-relevant programs and strengthen industry partnerships and collaborations between TVET institutions and industries to ensure that training programs are aligned with current labor market demands.