About Us

Our Mission

The overarching mission of the East African Employability Summit 2024 (EAES24) is to build on the outcomes of the EAES23. Particularly, the event will further the conversations on the gains made by stakeholders in the community’s higher education sector including TVETs and Post training and skills development in the out-of-school ecosystems in entrenching on-demand industry skills to close the employability skills gap exacerbating youth unemployment and inhibiting regional economic growth. The Uongozi Career Awards 2024 will, once again, recognize the unmatched individual and institutional brilliance in supporting and progressing careers and economic emancipation of the youth. 

Specific Objectives

Specifically, the EA Employability Summit and Uongozi Career Awards seek to achieve the following;

  • Assess the overall gains and transformation in the employability skills agenda in East Africa’s TVETs and higher education ecosystem;

  • Ignite policy and curriculum reforms among member states and individual institutions to facilitate employability now and in the future;

  • Deepen the conversation on the need to accelerate Recognition of Prior Learning and facilitate labour migration to deal with the challenges of forced displacement and immigration

  • Evaluate the progress and impact of skills-based learning and post-training skills development programs in transforming youth employment;

  • Foster collaboration between industry and training institutions in entrenching best practices to support the integral role of offices of Career Services in transiting students and shaping their career paths;

  • Leverage the interplay between the disruptive role of AI and Data Science versus the emerging digital economy in revolutionizing training, employability and future work;

  • Assess the impact of mental health menace on students' career paths, quality of graduates and overall transition to industry; Curate the invaluable role of peer-topeer student support;

  • Entrech Ethics, Values and Integrity in skilling East Africa's next public and private sector Leaders;

  • Recognize the growing demand for on-campus Innovation hubs and TVET maker spaces in Incubating idea and facilitating work readiness and entrepreneurship;

  • Re-evaluate the strategic Future of Technical and Higher Education in the EA Community in the fight against unemployment in Africa.

  • Identify, recognize and amplify the efforts of individuals and institutions promoting career and skills development in East Africa

Inaugural Summit 2023

In 2023 the Corporate Career Academy convened the first ever East African Employability Summit in Nairobi. The event was hosted by the Catholic University of Eastern Africa bringing together 2000+ delegates, 100+ speakers, 50+ higher learning institutions and TVETs from across the seven member states.

The two-day summit running between November 22 and 23 was ushered by students’ pre-summit on Tuesday, November 21 reflecting on the theme Closing the Gap; A decade of Investing in Employability Skills in East Africa.

The gathering reflected on the role of higher education institutions in skilling the regional workforce amid a growing youth unemployment crisis in Africa.
Participants delved into universities, colleges, and TVETs and their meaningful
contributions to slaying the towering social challenges on the African Continent.

Participants
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EAC Countries
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Exhibitors
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Speaker
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Sessions
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Wards
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The First & Second Uongozi Career Awards

The climax of the EAES23 was marked with the second series of the Uongozi Career Awards which recognized over 200 exceptional individuals and constitutions deepening and amplifying career development and progression
among young professionals. This was a buildup on the first awards hosted at the University of Nairobi in December 2022

The focus of the Second

East African Employability Summit 2024

Building on the outcomes of the first Summit (EAES23) and following commitments at the inaugural event, EAES24 seeks to set the stage for a more progressive platform this year for stakeholders in the youth employability space. Some of the Key Wins from EAES23 include;

_____________

The East African Employability
Policy Brief was launched and
shared with stakeholders from
public, private, development
and training spaces

The East African Employability
Policy Brief was launched and
shared with stakeholders from
public, private, development
and training spaces

_____________

200+ Awards and recognition
presented to extra-ordinary
sector catalysts and leaders
from across the region

200+ Awards and recognition
presented to extra-ordinary
sector catalysts and leaders
from across the region

_____________

Over 100 Job Shadowing
opportunities were availed
to students at the summit
by Diamond Trust Bank in
January 2024.

Over 100 Job Shadowing
opportunities were availed
to students at the summit
by Diamond Trust Bank in
January 2024.

_____________

The Emerge Global 2024
Student Leadership Mentorship
and Offices of Career Services
Strengthening Program
launched

The Emerge Global 2024
Student Leadership Mentorship
and Offices of Career Services
Strengthening Program
launched

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500+ Students and delegates
from the Summit directly referred and cleared to participate in the Africa Youth Connekt Summit,  Nairobi December 2023

500+ Students and delegates
from the Summit directly referred and cleared to participate in the Africa Youth Connekt Summit, Nairobi December 2023

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The highlight of the Skills
Needs Survey Report November 2023 by the Federation of Kenyan Employment

The highlight of the Skills
Needs Survey Report November 2023 by the Federation of Kenyan Employment

Lessons from EAES23

We are confident to use lessons from the inaugural summit to deliver a great event in 2024. With the support of the right partners, the Corporate Career Academy (CCA) and collaborators will convene and develop the best stakeholder-led and solution-driven EAES24 with the shared vision of solving Africa’s youth unemployment and skills gaps. Ultimately, we will create a thriving sector agenda where stakeholders can use 21st-century skills, emulate best practices, and collaborate with government, industry, and development partners to rebrand the face of higher education and out-of-school initiatives in the region to unleash their desired impact.

Panel Setting

All panel settings are designed to include the following:

A video trailer/snapshot with headlines on the Employability Skills Agenda in the specific area of discussion;

Paper presentation/ sharing of best practices on a decade of multi-stakeholder intervention;

A moderated plenary;

The wrap-up by the moderator will give a summary highlighting the challenges, gains, and opportunities