he University of Nairobi, through the Office of the Dean of Students and Career Services opened its doors to staff members from the University of Kent’s Career Office. This was part of an ongoing exchange program between the two institutions under the Erasmus plus funding where staff and students are given a chance to connect engage and share good practices and areas of improvement.

The visit that took place from Monday 19 June 2023 to Friday 23 June, 2023 was hosted by Johnson Kinyua – Dean of Students, Lucy Gikundi – Assistant Dean of Students (Parklands), Naomi Nyaboga, Head of Section Career Services and Mary Oloo – Student Assistant (Career Services).

The main aim of the visit by Dr.Anthony Manning – Dean of Global & LifeLong Learning, Sue Hopkinson- Head of International Recruitment and Gemma Witts – Senior Careers Advisor, was to create a better understanding of the Kenyan Employability Landscape and inform the University of Kent’s team on matters career, employability especially when interacting with students from Kenya. The Team also hoped to widen the scope of their understanding on the education system and how this informs the performance of students in their places of work.

Both teams; from the University of Nairobi and the University of Kent engaged in a very rigorous and insightful week of fun activities and learning. Some of the week’s highlights included an Employability Skills Training, a visit to Giraffe Center and animal orphanage, a visit to the University of Nairobi’s C4d Lab and incubation center and a podcast recording session with campus radio.

Overall, the visit was a success with both parties enforcing their knowledge on the employability landscape in Kenya with promise of both the University of Nairobi and the University of Kent continuing to work hand in hand through online workshops and training’s, continuous borrowing and implementation of ideas in their respective career departments.

During the University of Nairobi’s Career & Job Fair 2023, the Office of Career Services opened its doors to High School Students from around Nairobi and many more from various parts of the country.  The UoN Career Fair that was held from 17 – 19 May, 2023 was structured to have specialized career talks for High school Students on Thursday 18 May, 2023. These sessions were facilitated by the University of Nairobi’s Office of Career Services, the Admissions Office in partnership with The Kenya University and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).

The Kenya University and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) took the opportunity to notice their University and Colleges placement portal at the Career Fair. They then proceeded to sensitize High School Students on how to make selections on the portal, how to pick courses and universities/colleges of interest. The University of Nairobi’s Admissions Office then proceeded to share with the students the kinds of courses the University offers, the cluster points required and any other qualifications they needed to join the University.

High Schools students also had the opportunity to sit in on the various panel discussions. They reported having a better understanding of the evolving job market, which helps them prepare both academically and mentally for their transition into the university and the kinds of careers they are looking to go into in the world of tech. The high school students were amazed at the infinite career possibilities created by technology and innovation and were more than eager to be part of the revolution.

As a part of their mandate to ensure the smooth transition of students into the job market and empower with the technical knowhow required, the University of Nairobi’s Office of Career Services in partnership with the University of Nairobi’s Confucius Institute and Industry partners hosted a three day career fair from 17 – 19, May 2023. The career fair themed,  ‘Leveraging on Technology and Innovation in the evolving job market ‘ brought together industry partners, students from Universities and Colleges and high schools as an attempt to share knowledge on how best students can take advantage of the evolving job market from as early as high school.

The career fair was characterized by various break away sessions, career talks for high schools students and vital panel discussions comprised of students and industry partners. The Career Fair emphasized on the need for students to understand digital skills and the primary position they have began to take up in the once traditional job market. The industry partners gathered shared insights on how technology and innovation have revolutionized traditional jobs and the traditional job market. They emphasized on the need for students to pair up their courses with extra courses in digital skills such as Digital Marketing, Web Design, Graphic design, Software Development just to mention a few.

Both industry partners and representatives from the University of Nairobi continued to emphasize on the need for students to take advantage of technology and social media to create and maintain a digital profile. This allows students to showcase their skills and professionalism to potential employers giving them a chance to understand them better. This calls for students to be very careful with the kind of content they share on their social media pages with emphasis that, ‘the internet never forgets.’

It goes without saying that the Career Fair was a tremendous success, as university students reported having better understanding of the job market they were about to go into and how to prepare for it better to make sure that they were not only prepared for the transition bur also well equipped for it.

“Digital skills are the future,”

Joyce Wangeci, Moonsun Pictures

By Mary Oloo

The @UoNCareerOffice hosted Gitiha Secondary School from Kiambu for a Career Guidance session and tour on Friday February 4, 2022.

Today, most High School students if not all share similar goals: either to pursue their higher education in local Tertiary, Colleges and universities or to secure opportunities abroad to further their studies. However, most of them still face several challenges in making selections of their course of study, lack of knowledge on the evolving job market that should in return influence their career choices and shying away from considering entrepreneurship as an option to employment to curb the high rate of unemployment in the country.

The UoN Office of Career Services has therefore been mandated to engage High School students offering them career advice and also recruiting them to consider joining the University. This entails;

1. Providing details on various aspects of student’s life in the University that will include testimonials from current students, parents, alumni and staff
2. Using informative brochures at recruitment events including most attractive features at the institution and its programs already with name, phone number and email of the Career Office for prospective students to contact directly
3. Planning recruitment events in conjunction with high school principals and teachers
4. Addressing obstacles to enrollment e.g. if students will need financial aid or specific courses (bridging courses) before attending universities and tertiary institutions

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We are looking to hire an enthusiastic, self-driven recent graduate in the position of Course Advisor and Marketing Support JD

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The Office of the Dean of Students and Career Services is Partnering with the Huawei Technologies Kenya Company (Eastern Africa Device Department) to offer job opportunities to our Graduate students.

Huawei is currently looking for Merchandisers and Promoters to engage on a full-time basis in their shops.

Recent Graduates from the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences are invited to apply for these positions. A detailed description of the two Job Roles is attached.

The Deadline for receiving applications is Thursday 13th January 2022 Close of Day.

Applications (CV and Cover Letter only) to be submitted to selina.wamaitha.kimani@huawei.com copied to pius.munandi@huawei.com.

The Job Descriptions for the two roles are attached on the links below:

http://careerservices.uonbi.ac.ke/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Merchandiser-Job-Description.pdf

http://careerservices.uonbi.ac.ke/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Promoter-Job-Description-UoN.pdf

The University of Nairobi in collaboration with UNESCO is in the process of implementing the Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3 Plus) project. The overall goal of the 03 plus project is to ensure that young people in higher and tertiary education institutions in the Eastern and Southern Africa realize positive health, education and gender equality outcomes through sustained reductions in new HIV infections, unintended pregnancy and gender based violence.

One of the key activities of the project is the training of champions from all UoN campuses (Main, Chiromo, Kenyatta, Kenya Science, Kikuyu, Lower Kabete, Upper Kabete, Parklands, Mombasa and Kisumu Campuses). The champions will then engage comrades with activities and behaviour change messages during the 16 days of activism from November 25 to December 10, 2021.

The Office of the Dean of students is therefore requesting interested students to apply to be engaged as champions in their campuses.

Requirements

1. Trained peer counselor/ Leader
2. Served as a leader in a professional group, club or religious group at the University
3. Evidence of ability to mobilize students
4. Attach a one  page  write up on issues you  would champion  during the 16 days of activism and how
5. Good academic appraisal (attach latest transcript)
6. Disciplined

Champions will be taken through a two days training to prepare them to engage other students.

Send your application to the Dean of Students through your Faculty Assistant Dean of Students. The closing date for applications is November 5, 2021

Click here for a brief description of the 03 plus project.

Carlcare Service Ltd, a subsidiary of Transsion Holdings is a Telecommunications Company which continues to enjoy tremendous growth in Telecommunication and Technology fronts majorly in the mobile phone industry. The company deals with Tecno, Infinix and Itel phones among other home appliance gadgets.

Carlcare Service Ltd is conducting a Campus Recruitment Exercise for job and internship opportunities. The company aims to attract young talents and nurture them in the following fields;

1. Engineering (Electrical, Electronics and Telecommunication)
2. Marketing
3. Business Management
4. PR & Communication

Students are invited to send their CVs by Friday November 12, 2021

Check attached posters for more details.

The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Water, Sanitization and Irrigation Hon. Sicily Kariuki on Wednesday October 27th officially flagged off students traveling to Israel for an 11 months Advanced Agricultural Training at the Arava International Centre for Agriculture Training (AICAT).

Since 2016 when President Uhuru Kenyatta signed an MoU between Kenya and the State of Israel, The University of Nairobi among other Agricultural, Water and Irrigation Training institutions in Kenya have sent over 440 Agricultural students to the Arava International Centre for Agricultural Training (AICAT) to study an Advanced Diploma in Agriculture and Agribusiness.

In her speech, the Cabinet Secretary emphasized that imparting knowledge is the starting point of the AICAT program. She urged the students to turn the knowledge and skills they will acquire in Israel beyond white collar jobs and embrace self-employment and Agripreneurship. The students were also urged to train other youth back at home the skills they will learn in Israel when they return. Hon Sicily Kariuki noted that Kenyan students have been applauded for performing and excelling very well in the program and this had led to an increase in the quota every year. She congratulated the University/Institutes Coordinators involved in the selection of the students and wished the students the very best in their studies.

The UoN Vice Chancellor Prof. Stephen Kiama represented all the other Vice Chancellors from Egerton, Kenyatta, JKUAT, University of Embu, and the Kenya Water Institute at the ceremony. In his speech, Prof. Kiama appreciated the Israel Government for enrolling more students to the program. He gave his commitment to ensure the program succeeds and wished all the students the very best.

The UoN Dean of Students Mr. Johnson Kinyua in his speech highlighted the statistics for the program since 2017. In 2017, UoN sent the first cohort of 10 students to Israel, in 2018, 15 students and in 2019, 19 students from the University of Nairobi’s Faculty of Agriculture. Over the years, the number of students the University of Nairobi has sent to Israel has increased with 2020 being the year with the highest number of students from UoN that have qualified for the program (50 Students).

For the year 2021, Kenya has been offered 200 slots which is the highest since the program began 50 being from UoN. It is a sign of confidence the Government of the State of Israel has with Kenya and this has cemented our bilateral relationship with Israel.

Other guests present at the ceremony were the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Mr. Joseph Irungu, CAS Water, Sanitation & Irrigation Dr. Andrew Tuimur, the Deputy Ambassador State of Israel in Kenya, Dvora Dorsman Yarkoni, Program Coodinators from all Institutions sending students to Israel and representatives of the students.

We wish all the Kenyan students admitted to the AICAT program the very best and a safe journey to Israel on October 31^st, November 1^st and November 2^nd 2021 for the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd flights respectively.

Following the signing of an MoU between President Uhuru Kenyatta and the State of Israel on 23rd February 2016, the University of Nairobi among other Agricultural, Water and Irrigation Training institutions has been sending Agricultural students to the Arava International Centre for Agricultural Training (AICAT) to study an Advanced Diploma in Agriculture and Agribusiness since 2017.

50 students from the Faculty of Agriculture who have been selected for the 2021/2022 AICAT Cohort were on Thursday October 21, 2021 taken through a detailed Orientation Session aimed at preparing them adequately for travel to Israel.

The Orientation Ceremony was graced by Officials from the Israel Embassy in Kenya and the various Institutions sending students to Israel. The Deputy Ambassador from the Israel Embassy, Dvora Dorsman Yarkoni was the Key Guest at the event. She congratulated all the 200 students traveling to Israel and wished them a good stay in Israel. The Deputy Ambassador indicated that the AICAT program aimed to promote learning by doing by imparting agricultural skills to students practically.

Mr. Ian Githae, Deputy Director, Ministry of Water and Irrigation emphasized on the importance of cordial relations that exist between the Government of Kenya and Israel. He advised the students to have a mindset and attitude change as they travel to Israel for mechanized agricultural studies and to plan, be disciplined and patient. The students were also requested to develop practical business plans of a project they would implement when they return back home after the 11 months training.

The Dean of Students Mr. Johnson Kinyua welcomed all guests and outlined the journey of the AICAT program at the University of Nairobi. So far, UoN has sent 50 students to Israel since 2017 with 2021 being the year with the largest cohort of 50 students.

The 50 students will be flagged off by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Water and Irrigation on 27^th October 2021 and depart for Israel on 31^st of October 2021. The 11 months training on Advanced Agriculture and Irrigation will be conducted at Arava International Centre for Agricultural Training (AICAT) in Israel where the students will be attached to work with farmers in Kibbutz and Moshav Jewish forms of settlement. The students will live in farms in the Arava region where they will be exposed to high technologies and the advanced agriculture in Israel. The students are anticipated to complete their training in October 2022.

The program will impact on the graduates’ lives in different aspects including socially, academically, and economically. The students will also gain leadership skills and become community leaders and agricultural mentors; they will have both practical and theoretical tools in food safety and security and knowledge on how to successfully establish agribusinesses and model farms. When they return home, the graduates are hoped to easily integrate professionally in both the public and private sector.

The University is proud to partner with the AICAT in this hands-on training initiative in Agriculture and Agribusiness. The students are acquiring the mechanized agricultural skills and attitudes that will positively impact the Agricultural sector in Kenya.