Mount Kenya University has an ambitious plan to dispatch over 5000 graduates to Germany, sending the first cohort of five nursing apprentices to the European country this week to provide healthcare services.
On Saturday, the graduates received their work permits, visas, and air tickets, fully funded by Caritas Hospital (Germany), one of the project’s partner institutions. They are set to travel on Tuesday.
“The beneficiaries of the project have received full sponsorship from German accredited partner hospitals with work permits, Visa, work contracts and air- tickets to commence their paid apprenticeship,” MKU announced.
The learning institution has partnered with Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences in Germany to offer German language and preparatory courses to Kenyans, equipping them for employment in Germany as apprentices.
Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi, the Vice Chancellor of MKU, emphasized that the project resonates with the government’s endeavor to expand opportunities for Kenyans abroad.
President Ruto and Chancellor Olaf Scholz Agreement
The overseas program is a component of a working agreement brokered between President William Ruto and Olaf Scholz, the Chancellor of Germany, in June 2023. The agreement aims to provide 250,000 job opportunities for Kenyans.
“As a training institution, it is upon us to support the President’s initiative by actualising this endeavour. In this regard, MKU in partnership with the German university, aims to establish structures and processes that will prepare 5,000 Kenyans to work in Germany in various sectors,” Prof.Jaganyi said.
“The first pilot cohort has successfully gone through the German language B2 Level of proficiency and completed the preparatory course.”
Hellen Okwaro, Bonciana Chepkorir,Gekonge Mogambi, Aisha Wacuka, and Teresiah Muthoni are the first of approximately 5,000 young Kenyans projected to gain from this partnership.
Prospective students interested in these opportunities must demonstrate proficiency in the German language and enroll in a preparatory program for Nursing apprenticeship tailored for German hospitals.
AG-Career Hub, established by Kenyan professionals based in Germany, will support the beneficiaries of this initiative, aiding in their integration into the new environment and culture as they embark on their paid apprenticeships.
MKU has established a parallel partnership with Lebenshilfe Tirol of Austria, facilitating nursing graduates from the Kenyan university to pursue employment opportunities in Austria. Initially, MKU anticipates sending 60 nursing graduates to Austria. To qualify, graduates must attain a German language proficiency level of B1.
