Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions have been challenged to move beyond showcasing innovations at exhibitions and instead focus on developing market-ready products capable of transforming communities and industries.

Speaking during the closing ceremony of the 8th Annual International Multi-Disciplinary Conference and 6th National Skills Competition (CARI 2026) at the Kisumu National Polytechnic on June 25, 2026, Principal Secretary for the State Department for TVET, Esther Muoria, said the future of technical education lies in producing practical solutions to societal and industrial challenges.

Muoria noted that rapid technological changes, particularly in artificial intelligence, were reshaping industries across the world and demanding new approaches to skills development.

She said AI was already transforming sectors such as manufacturing, design, communication, diagnostics and decision-making, while climate change was forcing industries to rethink approaches in agriculture, energy, transport and construction.

According to the PS, future-proofing TVET requires institutions to equip both trainees and trainers with the knowledge and skills needed to adapt to emerging technologies and changing labour markets.

AI-driven competencies

She emphasised that AI-driven competencies should be integrated across all areas of training, including agriculture, engineering, construction and manufacturing.

“The technicians of the future must not only understand how systems operate but also how to make them safer, cleaner and more efficient,” she said.

Muoria urged researchers and innovators to focus on solving real-life challenges facing industries and communities, adding that applied research should begin with identifying practical problems and end with useful solutions.

She outlined a clear pathway for innovation, beginning with discovery and problem identification, followed by demonstration, validation, quality assurance and eventual deployment to users and markets.

The PS expressed concern that many promising innovations developed in TVET institutions often remain at the prototype or exhibition stage without progressing into commercial products.

“The next frontier for TVET innovation must be product development. A prototype should become a certified product,” she said.

Robotics innovations

To ensure follow-through on innovations showcased during the conference, Muoria directed The Kisumu National Polytechnic to establish a conference implementation register within 30 days.

The register, she said, should identify priority innovations, the problems they seek to solve, the support required and the individuals responsible for advancing them to commercialisation.

She stressed that Kenya was not short of resources but rather commitment and effective implementation.

“All the money spent on research and innovation should make a difference in society. What matters is the impact these projects have on people’s lives,” she said.

Muoria revealed that the State Department for TVET was already collaborating with the University of Eldoret to scale up robotics innovations developed in TVET institutions.