Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce that it has been selected as the lead institution to support the capacity-building goals of the Kenya Education for Employment Program (KEFEP).

Working in partnership with Olds College (Olds) and Algonquin College (Algonquin), the three-year project will begin in May 2017 and conclude in September 2020, and is the result of a joint proposal by all three institutions. The project is being funded by a contribution of $880,000 from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), as well as a $231,968 in-kind contribution from DC, Olds and Algonquin, totalling $1.1 million.

As project lead, DC will work with Kitale National Polytechnic (Kitale) and the Eldoret National Polytechnic (Eldoret) in Kenya, providing support for institutional leadership and assisting with the implementation of Kenya’s technical and vocational education and training reforms. Led by Katie Boone, manager, International Projects and Partnerships, DC’s team will also include Pam Stoneham, associate dean in the college’s School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology, and Joanne Patterson, a professor with the School of Justice & Emergency Services.

“We are excited to be part of an initiative that will help build upon our partners’ established successes in the fields of agriculture and civil engineering,” said Stoneham. “We look forward to working with the Kitale and Eldoret leadership teams to build their capacity in competency-based education, helping them build long-lasting, sustainable partnerships that will contribute to their success.”

Both Kenyan institutions are poised and ready for growth. Kitale runs two agriculture-based programs: General Agriculture and Agriculture Engineering, as well as a Building Technician program. Eldoret is Kenya’s largest national polytechnic and has a strong and well-resourced program in Civil Engineering. This strong knowledge base, when combined with the expertise of DC, Olds and Algonquin in training practices for agriculture and civil engineering, will help to build a pool of skilled in-demand graduates.

“International projects such as this one are mutually beneficial to both the in-country partner and DC,” said Boone. “The college’s involvement supports our efforts to internationalize the campus, while providing unique professional development opportunities for our employees both here and abroad. We also benefit from the chance to not only assist international educational institutions but also see how our teaching and training methodologies work in new educational and cultural contexts.”

KEFEP is a five-year initiative focused on strengthening and supporting technical and vocational education and training in Kenya. It is funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.