By OLIVER MUSEMBI
Mount Kenya University (MKU), through its Centre for Professional Development (CPD), in partnership with Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences in Germany, has sent off the sixth cohort of 21 nursing apprentices who will travel to the European country for specialised training.
The apprentices are scheduled to travel to Germany on Monday, September 28, 2026, to commence the Nursing Apprenticeship Programme, which combines hands-on nursing experience, German language training and employment integration in healthcare facilities.
The students have successfully completed German language training and undertaken a preparatory certificate course for the nursing apprenticeship programme.
Speaking during a send-off ceremony at the Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre at MKU’s Thika main campus in Kiambu County on Friday, September 18, 2026, Vice-Chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi said the initiative was helping address healthcare personnel shortages in Europe and North America, where ageing populations have increased demand for skilled workers.
“MKU is sending forth 21 young professionals with dreams in their hearts, skills in their hands and a world of possibilities before them,” Prof Jaganyi said.
He said the latest group brings to 105 the cumulative number of nurses deployed through the CPD’s specialised international deployment programme.
Prof Jaganyi said MKU was expanding partnerships with international institutions and recruitment agencies to create employment opportunities for its graduates beyond Kenya.
Through partnerships with Hochschule Koblenz, AG Career Hub, Leven Shelfield, Tirol, Hakuna Matata Recruitment GmbH and German Healthcare Hub, he said, the university was creating pathways for training and employment in international healthcare markets.
“The departing students are a milestone in MKU’s ongoing mission to open global doors for our students,” he said.
Prof Jaganyi urged the trainees to approach their new environment with confidence, humility and discipline while respecting German laws, culture and the patients they will serve.
“Go with discipline. Go with courage. Go and make MKU proud. Go and make Kenya proud,” he said.
He also reminded the apprentices that their responsibility extended beyond their individual careers.
“We expect you to grow, succeed, and one day bring your knowledge, experience, and network back to Kenya and contribute to the development of our healthcare system and our country,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor said the university’s role was not only to provide academic qualifications but also equip graduates with practical skills, professional networks and experience to compete in the global job market.
“At MKU, we believe that education must do more than provide qualification. Education must open doors. That is why our motto is Unlocking Infinite Possibilities,” he said.
Prof Jaganyi, who was accompanied by MKU Council Chairman and Pro-Chancellor Dr Vincent Gaitho, said while the university and its partners could create opportunities, graduates had to take responsibility for making the most of them.
“We can create the opportunities, we can open the door for you, but you must walk through that door. And you must walk through it with hard work, discipline, integrity and determination,” he said.
Dr Gaitho urged young people to take advantage of available employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, saying graduates who remain jobless after completing their studies can become frustrated and vulnerable to antisocial behaviour.
He encouraged the youth to avoid discriminating against available jobs and instead use their skills to create opportunities for themselves.
Dr Gaitho also called on banks to establish special funds and financial packages to support youth enterprises and enable young people to start small businesses.
He urged the national and county governments to create more opportunities for young people to earn a living, saying thousands of graduates leave colleges and universities each year in search of employment.
Some of the students who benefited from the apprenticeship opportunity, led by Michael Mwangi and Hadijah Mwendwa, described their selection as a major career milestone.
They said the clinical experience they will gain in Germany would equip them with advanced skills that they could eventually use to contribute to Kenya’s healthcare system.
The students urged the government to work closely with educational institutions to create greater awareness of international employment opportunities and expand apprenticeship programmes to help address youth unemployment.
The send-off ceremony was attended by students, faculty members and university officials.The programme is anchored in a partnership between MKU and Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences and seeks to create international training and employment opportunities for Kenyan nursing graduates.
