Introduction
Dual vocational apprenticeship, which has attracted growing interest in the construction sector in the country, is a training pathway which splits learning between classroom instruction (30-50%) and on-the-job training (50-70%). This enables trainees to gain practical skills from industry professionals alongside theoretical knowledge from vocational institutions. The system is critical for the country to address skill shortages and unemployment by better-aligning graduates with industry standards, especially in plumping skills.
Plumbers are essential in construction, managing tasks from project inception through maintenance, including plumbing installations, waste management, maintenance and repairs and rainwater systems. Despite 92 per cent of construction projects needing plumbing skills for water, sewage, oil, and gas conveyance, there are about 2,000 trained professional plumbers nationwide. Addressing this gap requires combining classroom learning with industry apprenticeships to develop adaptable, skilled plumbers. In response, the government and other stakeholders, in partnership with the National Construction Authority (NCA), Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), have introduced a dual apprenticeship programme to equip trainees with job-ready skills. This blog explores how dual apprenticeship can enhance supply of skilled plumbers in the country.
Status of Plumbing and Dual Vocational Apprenticeship
There is an increasing effort to formalize and standardize the plumbing profession as part of the broader accreditation of skilled construction workers in the country. There was a gradual increase in the number of plumbers accredited from 24 in 2015 to 294 in 2018, then a dramatic surge to 2,133 (Figure 1) in 2019, which reflects increased demand for plumbing services with increased number of projects. The effects of COVID-19 saw the numbers decline in 2020.
Figure 1: Number of skilled plumbers and number of plumbing projects
Source: National Construction Authority (2020)
Dual vocational apprenticeship
The dual vocational programme aims to align vocational training with labour market needs, helping young people transition to more productive jobs. It provides hands-on industry exposure, boosting competence and skill development. Through mentorship, apprentices learn from mistakes, receive feedback, and improve productivity. The programme equips apprentices with versatile skills applicable across various plumbing settings, creating a steady pipeline of skilled plumbers, stabilizing labour supply, and supporting company growth with readily skilled workers.
There is a growing collaboration between training institutions (TVETs) and industry to promote dual vocational training. In the plumbing sector, the partnership helps create a pipeline of skilled plumbers. For instance, the Hilti Foundation sponsored training of 100 apprentices at a TVET institution and 25 plumbing companies in 2022. The target is 1,000 apprentices and 60 plumbing companies by 2025. It is through such collaborations with plumbing companies, dual vocational system ensures that training aligns with industry needs, providing students with the required practical skills.
Challenges in Dual Vocational Apprenticeship Programme for Plumbing
Inadequate trainers and infrastructure
The private sector, despite being the driver of dual apprenticeship programme, lacks sufficient qualified trainers to guide trainees effectively. This challenge is further compounded by inadequate modern training infrastructure at vocational institutions. This makes the trainees less competent during the practical sessions at industry level.
Limited enrollment of plumbing students
The perception that plumbing is associated with dirty work leads many students to favour courses that are seen as more socially acceptable, resulting in low enrollment in the field. This has contributed to a significant shortage of qualified plumbers, as fewer individuals pursue the course, limiting enrollment.
Limited licensing of plumbers
Plumbers are required to hold a valid plumbing license from the National Construction Authority (NCA) to legally operate and are registered by NCA under the category of artisan III, II and I, which is their career progression. One of the key requirements for obtaining a license is practical experience, which is gained through an apprenticeship. However, dual apprentices complete their training with the necessary skills but still lack an official license, as they do not meet the experience criteria by NCA. This calls for recognition of dual apprentices as an experience gaining opportunity.
Opportunities in Dual Vocational Education
Policy standardization and uniform implementation
Develop a quality standardization policy for adoption of dual vocational apprenticeship. This will enhance the training quality to ensure uniformity across programmes. Aligning TVET institutions and employers through clear guidelines will enable the adoption of a high-quality dual apprenticeship programme.
Public-private partnership (PPP) enhancement
Strengthening collaboration between the government, private sector, and development partners is essential to encourage construction firms to actively participate in dual vocational training programmes. This partnership can enhance industry involvement, foster a strong commitment to train students, and help formalize informal plumbing jobs.
Recognition of prior learning
In 2020, the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) introduced a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy to assess industrial and occupational skills in technical fields such as plumbing, allowing experienced workers to earn formal certifications and convert their on-the-job skills into nationally recognized qualifications. By earning formal certification, it opens job opportunities for experienced plumbers to be eligible to become trainers in dual vocational programmes.
Recommendations
The dual apprenticeship system bridges the gaps in skills mismatch by providing a viable solution to address the shortage of skilled plumbers in the construction sector. The growing adoption of the system demonstrates that employer-led apprenticeships can fill critical skills gaps. Therefore, there is a need to promote dual apprenticeship, and improve vocational institution infrastructure. There is need to establish standards for quality dual training, establish a structured career development system within the plumbing industry with clear stages of career progression, and certification of experienced plumbers to be trainer of trainers. There is need to ensure that trainees who meet licensing requirements are provided with a license upon completion of training. Awareness campaigns targeted at young people showcasing successful plumbers will enhance the plumbing profession and make it attractive. This approach will contribute to addressing the problem of unemployment.
Authors: Fredwilly Nderitu and Enock Omwenga
