By Dorothy Musyoka
The Government has launched the Affordable Housing Programme Internship Programme, opening career pathways for 5,500 young Kenyans across the building and construction sector.
The programme officially unveiled, by President William Ruto will place youths in over 40 specialised roles.
“At State House, Nairobi, launched the Affordable Housing Programme Internship Programme, opening career pathways for 5,500 young Kenyans into the building sector in over 40 professional roles, including engineering, architecture, planning, ICT, finance, environment, surveying, and construction,” stated President Ruto.
According to the head of state, by integrating young graduates directly into ongoing housing projects, the initiative aims to equip them with practical, market-relevant skills while accelerating delivery under the Affordable Housing Programme.
The President also noted that the government is significantly scaling up investments in public infrastructure, including roads, railways, airports, seaports, energy systems and water storage facilities to transform the country.
This approach reflects a globally proven development model, where sustained public investment in infrastructure has been used to jump-start economies and create mass employment, particularly for young people.
“This is a globally tried and tested approach to jump-starting economies and generating large-scale employment for young people as has been demonstrated in countries like the United States, Germany and Phillipines, among many others,” the president said.
By aggressively expanding public infrastructure development, the Government is positioning the construction and built environment sectors as key engines of job creation, skills transfer and economic inclusion.
The Affordable Housing Internship Programme underscores a broader commitment to ensuring that national development directly translates into meaningful work opportunities and long-term livelihoods for Kenya’s young population.