TVET Magazine Founder And Ceo Of Opentvet

[ENDSEMESTER]

​

James Waithaka, the Founder and CEO of OpenTvet, was deeply inspired by his extensive experience as a technical trainer and his commitment to transforming Kenya’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. His motivation to establish OpenTvet arose from firsthand awareness of the challenges facing TVET in Kenya, including limited access to quality training, outdated teaching methods, and a significant mismatch between the skills taught and the evolving demands of the job market.

Having been involved in Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) long before it became mainstream, Waithaka recognized the urgent need for a digital transformation in TVET to make vocational education more accessible, efficient, and aligned with industry needs. He envisioned leveraging technology to break down geographical and infrastructural barriers, enabling more youth across Kenya—and eventually Africa—to acquire practical, market-relevant skills.

OpenTvet was thus founded as a digital platform to modernize TVET delivery by providing open, flexible, and scalable learning solutions. Waithaka’s vision was to create the largest open college platform in Kenya that would empower learners with competency-based training accessible anytime and anywhere, addressing the high youth unemployment and skills gap in the country.

His inspiration also stems from a broader ambition to digitally revolutionize TVET across Africa, making quality vocational education inclusive and responsive to the continent’s economic development needs. This aligns with his passion for education and technology, as well as his desire to contribute to Kenya’s socio-economic transformation by equipping the youth with employable skills through innovative digital means.

In summary, James Waithaka’s founding of OpenTvet was driven by his deep technical training background, his commitment to competency-based education, and his vision to harness technology to democratize and modernize TVET in Kenya and Africa, thus empowering youth and bridging the skills gap in a rapidly changing job market.

Click to read more...