A total of 453 learners are set to begin the National Industrial Training Authority (Nita) trade test assessment across Mandera County.
Country Director for Vocational Training, Yakub Mohamed Abdi, said the trainees pursued courses ranging from welding and fabrication, motor vehicle mechanics, dressmaking, electrical wiring, carpentry and joinery.
"Other popular courses include beauty and salon management, plumbing and pipe fitting and computer operations," said Mr Abdi.
Mandera Vocational Training Centre, with 350 registered trainees, has 203 learners sitting the exam this year.
The learners also include 25 students who are sitting for the Kenya Accountants and Secretaries National Examinations Board (Kasneb) Examinations December 2022 series.
Out of the 453 trainees sitting to be assessed today, 250 have been learning at Takaba and Elwak VTCs. Rhamu and Banissa Vocational Training Centres are also sitting for the Nita trade test examination.
According to Bashir Ibrahim Alio, the Mandera County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Education, more locals have taken up courses to improve their life skills.
"We are happy that locals from Mandera are joining vocational training centres in large numbers to outdo the norm that only non-locals from outside the county can perform hand tasks in our region," said Mr Ibrahim.
"The county calls upon more locals to join the institutions because we need our own engineers who will in turn create jobs for others," he added, while further applauding the tutors providing skills to locals in Mandera.
The Nita trade test assessment is done on a yearly basis ranging from Grade Three, through Grade Two and finally Grade One.
