What are the current marketable courses?

Victor Ochieng'

Right at the onset. I must admit. Marketability is an important factor when it comes to careers and choice of courses. Ideally, in matters marketability in relation to careers, there are two poignant points to point out.

One, there is marketability of the course itself. Then two, marketability of the person purposing to pursue it. The second ambit means a lot in career choices.

No wonder, we apprise students about it in our well-thought-out career training and tutelage. There are no marketable careers, but there are marketable people.

In these times and climes, employers in Kenya, are in exigent need of workers in the fields of Information Technology (IT), finance, business management, engineering, transportation, distribution, logistics and law. Of course, nothing remains fixed like Laws of Medes and Persia. Sphere of careers is just dynamic.

Ipso facto, fascinating facts propped up from a research dubbed Skills Needs Survey of 521 enterprises, which was a joint effort of Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), Nexford University and Africa Digital Media Institute.

What were the details of their copious research? 43.8 % of employers have a propensity of going for workers with undergraduate degrees.

Followed by Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) at 34.9 %. Those with secondary education follow suit at 23.4%. Only 12.1% and 3.3 employ workers with masters and doctoral degrees respectively.

More into it, a healthy 50.5% of employers revealed that that they are in exigent need of employees with tech-oriented courses in various career fields. Finance and management follows at 48.4. Then, the legal profession is at 36.5%.

Should a student opt for a career in engineering, the highly marketable engineering courses are computer and software engineering (30.7%), mechanical and production engineering (25%), civil and construction engineering (15.3%), chemical and process engineering (8.3%), agricultural engineering (6.3%) and petroleum engineering (0.9%).

Actually, with rapid and radical technological changes, dynamics in the labour market also keeps evolving in swift speed. Therefore, the mismatch between workers’ skills and the ones relevant in available jobs, sticks out as a top priority policy concern.

Ostensibly, when we take a sneak peek into the world of work, a mismatch between employers expectations and job seekers qualifications, contribute to the high rate of unemployment.

In the recent past, an in-depth study conducted by the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) depicted a high demand for job seekers with a bachelor’s degree.

It is instructive to note. Apart from academic and professional qualifications, employers identified dearth of essential soft skills hence acting as obstacles to job placement and employment.

Consequently, based on the FKE research and findings, 45.5 % who responded to the survey identified effective communication — both written and oral — as the glaring gap in most graduates.

Then, critical thinking at 41.7%, teamwork at 25.7% and time management at 23.4%. No wonder, those who have read The Essential Career Guide written by Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), will nod to this assertion revolving around Upskilling.

In every major course cluster, the good guide captures stupendous skills and interests required in the purposeful pursuit of important courses.

In a larger sense, the most sought-after competencies in ICT are also worth penning on paper. Somewhat, ability to communicate and collaborate on digital platforms account for 37.6%.

Use of electronics, machine ware, smart components and communication technology account for 34.5%. Then, digital security is 33%.

Moreover, vacancies that are hard to fill that require TVET skill level are in architecture, building and construction, engineering and transportation, distribution and logistics.

Then, those that mostly require first-level university education are in information technology, finance and business management.

In addition, vacancies that are hard to fill that require a master’s degree qualification are in media, communication and public relations while the ones that require doctorate degree credentials are in the spheres of Science and Mathematics.

Ideally, in 2021, the government released a giant list of core courses ranked priority areas, based on The Big 4 Agenda and the broader Vision 2030.

Interestingly, data released by KUCCPS depicted that in the 2022 selection and placement: Education, commerce and computer science, emerged as the most preferred courses students chose.

In the 2023 varsity placements, Bachelor of Education topped the list, with nearly 30,000 students opting to wend that way. It emerged as the most sought-after degree programme.

Somewhat, 20,151 chose to pursue Bachelor of Education (Arts). As 9,431 went for Bachelor of Education (Science). Then, 5,567 purposed to pursue Bachelor of Arts. As 4,367 decided to pursue Bachelor of Commerce. While 2,912 will pursue computer science.

Consequently, others that attracted more students included: Bachelor of Science Agriculture Education and Extension that got 1,657 students. Human Resource Management had 1,638. Bachelor of Science in IT had 1,459. As Criminology and Security Studies got 1,395. Bachelor of Law got 1,200. Political Science and Public Administration got 1,081.

In the latest updates, Bachelor of Science in Nursing is the most preferred or selected programme, despite the limited capacity in institutions of higher learning.

According to KUCCPS, the course attracted 163, 474 applicants against the 1,618 slots declared. A similar trend featured in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery where there were 47,443 applications.

In conclusion, more programmes that are popular are degree courses also included Pharmacy, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Architecture and Quantity Surveying.

© Victor Ochieng’

The writer rolls out career talks and training services.

vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232

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