Blog

President William Ruto has revealed that he offers internship opportunities to between 10 and 15 university students on his farms, where they receive stipends as they gain practical work experience.

Speaking on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the President said he regularly interacts with the young people, noting that many arrive with academic knowledge but are eager to understand how what they have learnt in college applies in the workplace.

“I’m a farmer, you know. I provide internships for between 10 and 15 young people from universities to intern in my farm. We pay them a stipend and they are very interesting,” Ruto said.

He said the students were keen to gain practical exposure to farming activities and understand how different operations are carried out beyond what they learn in lecture rooms.

The President used his experience to encourage other employers to open their workplaces to university graduates seeking practical training.

Ruto called on business leaders and companies with the capacity to take in young people to provide internship opportunities in factories, manufacturing plants, industries and trading businesses.

He said such placements would allow graduates to spend between six months and one year gaining experience in actual working environments.

“Those of us who can provide internship opportunities for young people to engage with a real opportunity in a factory, in an industry, in a manufacturing space, in a trading space, that would add a lot of value,” he said.

According to the President, the arrangement would also benefit employers by allowing them to identify and prepare potential employees while helping young people acquire skills required in their respective industries.

He said exposing interns to daily business operations would give them an opportunity to learn directly from experienced workers and understand the demands of different professions.

The President’s remarks come as thousands of young Kenyans graduate from universities and colleges each year amid competition for limited formal employment opportunities.

Estimates indicate that about one million young people enter the labour market annually, while formal job creation remains insufficient to absorb the growing number of job seekers.

Informal employment accounts for approximately 83.8 per cent of Kenya’s workforce, according to figures cited in recent World Bank analysis.

Many graduates consequently face challenges securing employment, with some employers requiring previous work experience even for entry-level positions.

Ruto’s call for greater private-sector involvement comes as the government considers expanding internship opportunities for young graduates.

The planned opportunities are expected to target university, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and college graduates, with monthly stipends and incentives intended to encourage private-sector participation.

The programme is part of wider efforts to give young people workplace exposure and improve their chances of securing employment.