A labour migration partnership between Mount Kenya University (MKU) and Germany’s Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences is gaining recognition as a model initiative for exporting skilled labour. The programme, which targets healthcare professionals, has already seen three cohorts of trained Kenyan nurses depart for Germany, with a fourth currently undergoing training at MKU.
Under the initiative, participants receive German language training and are then absorbed into Germany’s healthcare sector as paid apprentices. The programme is designed to address Germany’s ageing population and skilled labour shortage while offering Kenyan youth high-quality job opportunities abroad.
Germany’s Deputy Ambassador to Kenya, Alexander Fierley, praised the programme during a recent visit to MKU’s Thika campus, where he interacted with the fourth cohort of apprentices. Fierley emphasized the mutual benefits of the Kenya-Germany Labour Migration Agreement signed in September 2023. He highlighted how the initiative bridges Germany’s labour gap while offering Kenyan youth professional growth and exposure to a global work environment.
“This project is at the centre of our interest. It shows how labour migration can work efficiently and mutually benefit both countries,” said Fierley.
Partners in the programme include the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), AG-Career Hub, and Caritas Hospital in Bad Mergentheim & Tauberbischofsheim. DAAD has also deployed a German language assistant to MKU to bolster language training for outgoing cohorts.
Dr Christopher Lebrenz of Hochschule Koblenz commended MKU as a reliable and engaged partner. He noted that the programme’s implementation has helped streamline labour export processes and prepare students for both professional and social integration in Germany.
Beyond Germany, MKU has also partnered with Lebenshilfe Tirol in Austria, with plans to send 60 graduates to the European country, provided they attain German language proficiency at B1 level.
The success of the programme, officials say, is now drawing interest from other European institutions. “Whether you return to Kenya or settle in Germany, your acquired skills and experience will be invaluable,” said Fierley, encouraging the students to continue learning and contributing to global healthcare.
