MKU sends sixth group of nursing apprentices to Germany

Youth urged to create jobs and seize any opportunities amid scarcity as 21 trainees are scheduled to travel to Europe to commence their Nursing Apprenticeship Programme

By James Wakahiu

Mount Kenya University (MKU)’s Centre for Professional Development (CPD), under a partnership with Hochschule Koblenz, Germany has seen off the 6th Cohort of twenty-one (21) nursing aapprentices to Germany.

The apprentices are scheduled to travel to Germany on Monday, 28th September 2026 to commence their Nursing Apprenticeship Programme. Their training focuses on hands-on nursing experience, speaking German as well as employment integration in German healthcare facilities. Apart from successfully completing the German language training, the learners have undertaken the Nursing Apprenticeship preparatory certificate course.

Mount Kenya University (MKU) Council Chairman and Pro-Chancellor Dr. Vincent Gaitho and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi, officially flagged cohort will travel to Germany to advance their studies and gain hands-on experience in the healthcare sector.

MKU Vice Chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi (right) gifts one of the 21 nursing apprentices bound for Germany during a send-off ceremony held at the Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre at the institution’s main campus in Thika town on Thursday.

This marks the successful departure of the sixth group of nursing apprentices, a proud milestone in MKU’s ongoing mission to open global doors for our students.

“MKU is sending forth 21 young professionals with dreams in their hearts, skills in their hands and a world of possibilities before them,” Prof Jaganyi said.

Speaking during a send-off ceremony in Thika for the 21 nursing students, MKU Council Chairman and Pro-Chancellor Dr. Vincent Gaitho said graduates who fail to secure jobs after completing their studies often become disappointed and start engaging in antisocial behaviour, urging them to seize available opportunities and use their skills to earn a living.

With thousands of students graduating from colleges and universities every year, Dr. Gaitho encouraged the youth to take up available jobs without discrimination while also creating their own opportunities through the skills they have acquired.

He said MKU will continue seeking employment opportunities for its students globally, while urging both county and national governments to create more opportunities to ensure young people have avenues to earn a living. He also called on banks to develop special funds and financial packages to support youth enterprises and enable them to start small businesses.

Prof Jaganyi said through international partnership, including those with Hoshule Koblenz, AG Career Hub, Leven Shelfield, Tirol, Hakuna Matata Recruitment, GMBH, and German Healthcare Hub, MKU is creating pathways for its training and employment opportunities beyond Kenya’s borders.

The VC said the 21 departing students comprise the university’s sixth cohort of nursing apprentices sent to Germany, bringing the cumulative total under the specialized deployment program to 105 nurses. He told the students to go to Europe with confidence and humility. “Go with discipline. Go with courage. Go and make MKU proud. Go and make Kenya proud,” he said.

He asked the trainees to respect their German hosts, the patients they will serve and to obey the laws and the culture of Germany. “Above all, protect the reputation of your profession, your university and your country. You have been given an opportunity. Make it count,” he added.

MKU Council Chair and Pro-Chancellor Dr. Vincent Gaitho delivers a speech to students ahead of their departure to Germany for apprenticeship opportunities.

The VC told the trainees that their journey does not end in Germany. “We expect you to grow, succeed, and one day bring your knowledge, experience, and network back to Kenya and contribute to the development of our healthcare system and our country,” he said.

“At MKU, we believe that education must do more than provide qualification. Education must open doors. That is why our motto is Unlocking Infinite Possibilities. Our responsibility is to ensure that our graduates leave MKU not only with academic qualification, but with practical skills, experience, confidence, professional network, and the ability to compete anywhere in the world,” the VC added.

He, however, cautioned the students that while the university opens doors for its students partners create the opportunities, it is up to them to walk through those doors. “We can create the opportunities, we can open the door for you, but you must walk through that door. And you must walk through it with hard work, discipline, integrity and determination,” he said.

The VC explained that the exchange initiative addresses the critical shortfall of healthcare personnel across Europe and North America, where rapidly aging populations continue to fuel severe staff shortages.

Some of the students who benefited from the apprenticeship opportunity led by Michael Mwangi and Hadijah Mwendwa, described the selection as a major career milestone, expressing confidence that their clinical experience in Germany would equip them with advanced skills to contribute to Kenya’s healthcare system.

They urged the government to work closely with institutions to create more awareness among students about available opportunities and expand such programmes to help address the employment challenge in the country.

The flag-off ceremony took place at the Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre, attended by students and faculty members. The programme is anchored in a strong partnership between MKU and Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and is a shining example of how international collaborations create life-changing opportunities for young people.

Situated at MKU’s main campus in Thika town, Kiambu County, the multi-million shillings Centre for Professional Development coordinates professional training to enable students and other Kenyans to acquire additional skills that make them competitive in the job market. The Centre has been accredited and recognized by local and international professional certification bodies and it is currently offering both professional and short Courses.

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