Kilifi, Swisscontact Partner to Launch First County-Led Hospitality Apprenticeship Programme
Kilifi, Kenya – March 26, 2026— The Kilifi County Government has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding with Swisscontact to roll out a dual apprenticeship pilot programme aimed at transforming skills development in the hospitality sector.
Dubbed the Kilifi Hospitality Sector Dual Apprenticeship Pilot (KH DAP), the initiative positions Kilifi as the first county in Kenya to localise a private sector-led dual training model within its tourism economy.
The pilot is anchored on Swisscontact’s globally tested PropelA framework, which has previously delivered strong results in Nairobi’s construction sector and helped shape the country’s recently launched private sector-driven skills development model.
Under the programme, hospitality employers will play a central role in training by co-designing curricula, hosting apprentices in real work environments, and mentoring trainees to meet industry demands.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Mbetsa described the initiative as a major boost to youth employment and the county’s tourism ambitions.
She noted that the programme will align vocational training with industry needs, ensuring young people acquire practical, market-ready skills that enhance employability and service delivery standards.
Making her remarks at the signing ceremony, Swisscontact Country Director, Sharon Mosin highlighted Swisscontact’s private sector roots, noting that the organisation was founded over six decades ago by entrepreneurs in Switzerland who believed that economic development must be driven by business, innovation, and skills. She said this background continues to shape its approach across more than 40 countries, including Kenya, where the focus remains on building skills systems that respond to industry demands while aligning with the aspirations of young people.
Mosin pointed to Kilifi’s strategic focus on tourism as outlined in the County Integrated Development Plan 2023–2027, describing the county as forward-looking in positioning hospitality as a key economic driver. She observed that traditional training models alone are no longer sufficient to meet industry expectations, stressing the need for a system that produces job-ready, adaptable, and customer-focused professionals capable of delivering services aligned with international standards.
She further emphasised that the initiative reflects a broader shift where the private sector actively drives the skills agenda rather than remaining a passive participant. Mosin noted that the partnership signals a shared commitment to building an ecosystem that offers young people clear and sustainable employment pathways, while also strengthening Kilifi’s competitiveness as a tourism destination defined not only by its natural appeal but by the quality and professionalism of its workforce.
She said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to market-driven skills development and economic transformation through youth empowerment.
“This collaboration signals Kilifi’s readiness to lead in hospitality excellence, with the private sector playing a key role in shaping a competitive workforce,” she said.
As part of the agreement, Swisscontact will offer technical support in designing and implementing the apprenticeship model, while the county government will strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and facilitate accreditation through the National Industrial Training Authority.
A labour market assessment will guide the identification of priority skills and inform the development of apprenticeship pathways tailored to the hospitality sector.
The programme also prioritises inclusion, targeting youth, women, and marginalised groups by combining classroom learning with structured workplace experience to produce industry-ready graduates.
The partnership marks a significant milestone in decentralising Kenya’s skills development framework, positioning Kilifi as a trailblazer in building a globally competitive hospitality workforce and redefining service excellence along the coast.
