President William Ruto has revealed that more than 150,000 graduates have applied for the government's planned paid internship programme targeting 50,000 youths, just 24 hours after applications were opened.
Speaking during the award of a charter to the International Leadership University (ILU) at State House on Thursday, November 5, Ruto said the government had launched the application process for the initiative, which is scheduled to begin in January 2027.
The Head of State noted that the number of applicants had already surpassed the available positions threefold, highlighting the growing demand for workplace opportunities among young graduates.
"Yesterday we announced internship opportunities for 50,000 students. The application will be on a digital platform. I have been told that by this morning we have over 150,000 applicants in 24 hours," Ruto stated.
He observed that the high number of applications reflected the desire among graduates from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, colleges and universities to gain practical experience.
"It tells you there is a strong pull of graduates from our TVETs, colleges, and universities who desire an opportunity to be in a workplace, a real laboratory, and a real factory space to apply their knowledge," he added.
Ruto maintained that the government would finance the monthly payments for all successful applicants, including those placed in private-sector organisations.
The programme is expected to offer interns monthly retainers ranging between Ksh20,000 and Ksh25,000, providing financial support as they gain professional experience.
"We are going to provide resources as a government to pay for students to participate and undertake internships in all the relevant places that they want to, because we need graduates that we prepare sufficiently for them to be able to undertake what the learning they have gone through gives them," Ruto said.
The President first announced the initiative during a church service in Mwingi on October 25, revealing that the first cohort of 50,000 interns would report in January 2027.
He said the government intended to progressively increase the number of beneficiaries to 100,000 and eventually 200,000 within two to three years.
"We have said that from January, we are going to have 50,000 young people as interns who will be paid Ksh 20,000 to 25,000 per month. This is a programme we want to expand from 50,000 to 100,000 to 200,000 in two to three years so that we can create a better transition for our young people when they come out of college," he stated.
Under the arrangement, graduates will be attached to government departments, civil service institutions and private companies to gain hands-on experience and improve their chances of securing employment.
During Thursday's State House event, Ruto disclosed that he had already held consultations with industry players, including the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), on how businesses could accommodate interns under the programme.
He further announced plans to meet university vice-chancellors before the Christmas holidays to discuss the implementation of the initiative ahead of its January commencement.
"I will be convening a meeting before we break for Christmas with all our vice-chancellors. I met yesterday with industries, including the Kenya Association of Manufacturers and all the other players, to discuss the subject of internships," he said.
