More than 400 participants at the 1st Kenyan-German Career Fair in Nairobi

Among the exhibiting companies were Deutsche Lufthansa AG and LSG Skychefs, Robert Bosch East Africa Ltd., Safaricom Ltd., Siemens,  Mobisol GmbH and PWC Ltd. The interest of German and international companies to participate reflects the need of these companies for qualified employees.

German Organizations such as the Goethe Institute, Alumniportal Deutschland and DAAD gave advice to participants how to strengthen their profile through German language and experience.

Ms. Maren Diale Schellschmidt, Country Director of AHK Kenya, Ms. Sabine Olthof, Senior Project Manager, Alumniportal Deutschland, Amb. Ken Osinde, the former Ambassador of Kenya to the Republic of Germany,  and H.E. Jutta Frasch, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Kenya welcomed the participants and stressed the importance of Kenyan-German relations. In her speech,  Ambassador Frasch stressed the importance of employment for young people, pointing on the contrast of high youth unemployment in Kenya and companies not able to fill open positions with qualified people.

A varied conference program which included panel discussions on “Chances and Challenges of Companies in Kenya – Human Resources and Beyond” and “Bridging the Gap – Investing in the Employability of Graduates in Kenya” where company representatives and stakeholders from the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the education system discussing a possible way forward in the job market for young people. Prominent Alumni also shared their personal experiences during their studies and research residencies in Germany and the further careers they pursued on their return.

Workshops and programs such as crash courses in Business German, CV checks and presentations of companies on their work and their HR requirements completed the program.  Both exhibitors and participants were positive on the outcomes, several expressing high hopes to have found their future employer or employee.

The 1st Kenyan-German Career Fair is a cooperation between the Delegation German Industry and Commerce in Kenya (AHK Kenya) and Alumniportal Deutschland aiming at bringing together Germany-Alumni and further qualified professionals with German and Kenyan companies and organizations. It is organized within the "Trained in GermanY" initiative, the world wide leading career fair for Germany-Alumni, of Alumniportal Deutschland. Germany-Alumni are people from all over the world who have studied, worked, conducted research or received training in Germany or at a German institution abroad.

Please visit the website of the AHK Kenia for more information on the fair and for having a look at the picture gallery.