KeNHA Launches Fully Funded Technical Training Program for Youth in Four Counties
KeNHA said priority will be given to applicants living with disabilities, orphans, young people from single-parent families and young single parents.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has invited applications for a fully funded one-year technical skills training program targeting unemployed youth in Isiolo, Meru, Wajir and Garissa counties.
The initiative, financed by the World Bank through the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project, is also open to people affected by the ongoing construction of the 740-kilometer Isiolo-Mandera highway and persons living with disabilities.
KeNHA said the program is designed to equip young people with practical vocational and entrepreneurship skills to improve their employability and support sustainable livelihoods in communities along the infrastructure corridor.
The authority said successful applicants will undergo artisan and craft-level training at Nkabune Technical Training Institute, North Eastern National Polytechnic, Bishop Locati Training Institute, Sensei Institute and Meru National Polytechnic.
Participants will be trained in a wide range of technical fields, including masonry, plumbing, electrical installation and electronics, automotive engineering, welding and fabrication, carpentry and joinery.
Other courses on offer include hairdressing and beauty therapy, fashion and design, food and beverage production, computer and mobile phone repair, information and communication technology, motor vehicle mechanics, tailoring and dressmaking, and pastry and bakery.
According to KeNHA, trainees will also have an opportunity to study flooring and tile technology, security management and other technical disciplines depending on the institution offering the course.
To qualify, applicants must be Kenyan citizens aged between 18 and 35 years and residents of Isiolo, Meru, Wajir or Garissa counties. Candidates must also meet the minimum academic requirements for their preferred courses.
The authority said most programs require a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), although some courses accredited by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) do not require formal academic qualifications.
Applicants must possess a valid Kenyan national identity card, while those applying for the Plant Construction Mechanics course must also hold a valid driving license.
KeNHA said priority will be given to applicants living with disabilities, orphans, young people from single-parent families and young single parents.
“Preference will be given to applicants who are living with disabilities and/or are orphaned and/or are from single-parent families and/or are young single parents,” the authority said in the application notice.
Application forms are available free of charge at KeNHA regional offices in Isiolo and Garissa, Area Chiefs’ offices, County Commissioners’ offices in the four counties and on the authority’s website.
KeNHA said completed application forms must be signed and stamped by an Area Chief or Assistant County Commissioner to verify the applicant’s place of residence.
The authority has set 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 23, 2026, as the deadline for submitting applications and urged eligible youth to apply before the closing date.
The training program forms part of broader efforts under the Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project to enhance skills development, expand employment opportunities and maximize local benefits from the construction of the Isiolo-Mandera highway, a strategic road expected to improve connectivity and economic integration in northern Kenya.
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