MKU sends third cohort of trained healthcare apprentices to Germany

Mount Kenya University has sent the third cohort of trained healthcare apprentices to Germany to start their healthcare careers in the European country.

The university saw off 12 students on Friday to Germany, where they are expected to start pursuing healthcare careers.

It is the third cohort of students going to work in Germany, with two other cohorts having left the country last year.

The university also welcomed Cohort 4, who will be undergoing training in healthcare and the German language as they also prepare to start their careers in the European country later this year.

The students have been undergoing training at MKU, where in addition to healthcare courses that include nursing, they have also been learning the German Language.

The university has partnered with different institutions to offer training to young Kenyans who are later absorbed into the workforce through paid apprenticeships and jobs in Germany.

The partners include Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences, DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), AG-Career Hub (Germany) and Caritas Hospital in Bad Mergentheim & Tauberbischofsheim.

At a function on Wednesday, the students in Cohort 3 were presented with their work permits, visas, and air tickets, ready for travel and to start their careers in Germany. They will be deployed in different German hospitals.

“We are certain that we are releasing to the world of work competent individuals,” said Dr Vincent Gaitho, the chairman of the MKU University Council, on Wednesday when the university hosted the students at a luncheon.

Dr Gaitho noted tha the partnership that MKU has with the German institutions has enabled the university to offer practical exposure to students. He noted that higher education institutions have been struggling to link their training to industry, but this is an area that MKU is focused on delivering and has made major progress in ensuring that its training, especially in the healthcare industry,  is meeting the needs of the healthcare sector.

“Through our collaborations with our partners, we have been able to link our students with opportunities.  The students who left in the previous cohorts are already working. You are also going to join the world of work,” he said.

“This collaboration is a manifestation of true academia-industry linkage. This is what has been missing in many of our programmes in universities in the country. That we train and graduate students but by the end of the day, they are not perfectly connected with the industry.”

He also noted that through the programme, the university has been acting as an agent of reducing inequalities, in line with a United Nations mandate of reducing inequalities.

The university was 2021 designated as a hub for SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities by the United Nations Academic Impact (a UN initiative) 2021

“This programme is a true manifestation of reducing inequalities. The students in these programmes are true citizens and modest graduates of this university and are now in the league of global civil servants. Indeed, MKU is an agent of reducing inequalities,” said Dr Gaitho.

“MKU is an agent of skill development and supporting our students to become employable when the time comes. We are committed to ensuring that we support dignified migration to the global job market. Through such a programme, we are sure you are not going to search for opportunities, but you are going because you have the skills that are required.”

He also encouraged the students to “go and conquer the world and become a source of pride to yourselves, your families, your university and your country.”

“We have made commitments that students who come to MKU have the best experience, and they are prepared to become agents of transformation when they are done with their studies here.”

Prof Deogratius Jaganyi, Vice Chancellor MKU, said the institution is committed to skills development and sending out to the world industry ready graduates.

“It is a pleasure to be here today as we mark an important milestone, the send-off of Cohort 3 and the reception of Cohort 4. This event represents the success of a transformative initiative that is creating global career opportunities for Kenyan youth, especially in the healthcare sector,” he said.

“At Mount Kenya University (MKU), we are deeply committed to international collaborations that enhance education, skills development, and employability. Our partnership with Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences in Germany has been instrumental in providing our students with world-class training and global job opportunities.”

This is even as he welcomed Chort 4 to the university, noting they had an incredible opportunity to start off their careers.

“To Cohort 4, congratulations on being selected for this prestigious program. You are stepping into a structured and well-supported apprenticeship pathway that aligns with Kenya’s development goals and the global demand for healthcare professionals. Use this time wisely to learn, engage, and prepare for the exciting journey ahead,” said Prof Jaganyi.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic & Research Affairs Dr. Mercyline Kamande took stock of the project, noting the major milestones it has achieved in the two years since it started implementation.

Since January 2023, over 50 candidates have attained B2 certification in the German language, with 35 pursuing careers through the initiative. She added that in addition to nursing, the programme would also be expanded to include a Medical Technologist in Radiology programme.

“While the nursing programme as been the foundation for Cohorts 1, 2, and 3, today, we are taking a bold step forward. With Cohort 4, we are proud to introduce the Medizinische Technologin für Radiologie (Medical Technologist in Radiology) program, further broadening the scope of career opportunities available to our students,” she said.

“Additionally, we have embraced an AI-enabled German Language Training Program, which has significantly enhanced learning efficiency, ensuring that even more students qualify for international apprenticeship programs.”

The Kenyan program Coordinator, Dr. Christopher Mutembei, was excited to see the students he recruited and trained now ready to travel to Germany, and he presented them and handed them over to Prof. Dr. Christian Lebrenz of Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences, Germany, who joined the event online from Germany. Dr. Mutembei is the director of the Centre for Professional Development.

Carol Njoki Mwangi from AG Career hub, who also joined the meeting virtually, told the students to remain focused in their new postings in Germany, noting that many Kenyans who venture abroad at times get distracted and fail to achieve their dreams. She noted that while there are many success stories in the diaspora, there are also many failures.

“We have worked with the other cohorts, and this programme has really been a success. This project is unique and has been designed to support the young people going into the country,” she said, urging them to tap into the project partners who could assist whenever they experience difficulties when settling down.

“I have lived in this country for several years and seen people come here and succeed but also seen people misused and others coming here without knowing why they are coming to this country.”

“I am happy because this programme is unique and has mechanisms to support the young people coming to this country. Starting from an academic institution like MKU that has provided the students with facilities and linking them to institutions that understand how things work and assist the students in settling down.”