The graduation ceremony for the second cohort of the Kenya Industry and Entrepreneurship Project – Strengthening Kenya’s Innovation Ecosystem and Skills (KIEP-SKIES) Rapid Tech-Skills Program, comprising participants from seven public universities—including Kibabii University—was held on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at Kenyatta University. The event was presided over by Dr. Juma Mukhwana, PhD, CBS, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Industry.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Ipara Odeo, led the Kibabii University’s delegation during the ceremony. The University presented thirty one (31) graduands who had been trained in three specialized areas: Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Software Engineering.
In his keynote address, Dr. Juma Mukhwana, the Chief Guest, urged the graduands to avoid cybercrime, gambling, and abuse on social media, and instead use their newly acquired skills to earn a living and uplift their families and communities.
“You are our hope and future. Go change the world,” he said.
In his congratulatory message, Prof. Isaac Ipara Odeo lauded the SKIES Rapid Tech-Skills Job Readiness Program at Kibabii University as a tremendous success. He emphasized that the training would significantly enhance the employability and job readiness of the graduates, thereby contributing to the Government of Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), particularly in the digital superhighway and creative economy sectors.
In his message to the graduands, Prof. Stanley N. Mutsotso, the Principal Investigator, expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the World Bank for the grant; the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry for administering the grant; the SKIES Management Firm for the effective coordination of the grant activities; and the Kibabii University Management for their goodwill and support in implementing the curriculum.
He noted that the students in all three specializations demonstrated strong commitment to their coursework and discipline. They actively engaged with lecturers in class, interacted with industry professionals, developed project proposals and prototypes, and completed additional internationally recognized IBM certifications to enhance the Rapid Tech Skills training.
Speaking on behalf of the Kibabii University graduands, Mr. Belvin Barasa Wanami expressed deep appreciation to the project’s sponsors and implementers. He captivated the audience by highlighting a key achievement: four graduates from Kibabii University’s second SKIES cohort had been selected as finalists in a prestigious World Bank Soil Health Initiative. This accomplishment demonstrates the program’s tangible impact on career advancement.
