The informal apprentice and skill acquisition: A case study of informal technical training in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

The study sought to explore factors influencing skill formation in the “Jua Kali” sector in Nairobi. Kenya. The hypotheses examined were that the trainee's socio-economic background. and presence of social ties between trainer and trainee determine the type of training sought; that the presence or absence of social ties between trainer and trainee influences the trainee's fee payment status; and that the mode of training in the sector tends to vary with the type of skill pursued.

A sample of 137 trainees was randomly drawn from 137 enterprises. This represents only 20% of the respondent universe spread across 66.5% of the apprentice-training~ enterprises at the study site. Two methods of data collection were used in the study: pre-survey for population identification and sampling survey for collection of primary and complementary data. In both cases, interview schedules were used.

The study revealed a very low level of female participation in informal apprenticeship training. Only 4.4% of the samples were women.

Most trainees (80.5%) were rural-born and had been in Nairobi for an average of 3.3 years. This phenomenon is possibly related to scarcity of informal sector employment and training opportunities in the countryside. Besides, the training mode catered largely for youthful school leavers and dropouts. Of the trainees interviewed 90.5% of them were aged between 16~25 years. 72.8% had some primary education while 26.2% had some secondary education.

Of the sample, 75.0% reported low income backgrounds. Hence, the popularity of the training mode among “poor” trainees may be explained by the fact that skills in this sector are cheaply acquired. Moreover, they derive some livelihood while training.

However, “Jua Kali” apprenticeship was found to be a form of training characterized by selective training behavior and training terms. 78.8% of the trainees were trained by co-ethnics, blood relatives and/or friends. Besides, a high degree of regional dominance was observed: central 33.6%, Nyanza 35.1%, Eastern 14.9%, others 16.4%.

The majority (70.9%) of trainees having some social and/or regional bond with the trainers were found to pay no training fees. whereas 64.3% of those reporting no social bond with the trainer were fee paying. Thus, social entry barriers were found to be entrenched in the sector. The observed regional dominance, it is concluded, is not conducive to even and rapid diffusion of “Jua Kali” manufacturing throughout the country.

Informal apprenticeship was found to be characterized by non-systematic training: there was a weak relationship between hours of training and duration of training. This creates a situation where a graduate of the training mode attains high proficiency in practical skills while remaining ignorant of theoretical aspects.

Some of the key recommendations in the study were that the government should recognize, encourage and expand “Jua Kali” training programmes; incentives should be provided to trainers using objective training practices. and those willing to recruit female trainees; that the government should formulate a comprehensive and integrated training scheme for upgrading all forms of technical skills in the country; that. Technical extension centres should be constructed in all major urban centre’s in Kenya.