On 28^th February 2024, KEPSA co-hosted the Coalition for Jobs (C4J) ‘Wanagenzi’ forum with the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management that brought together the private sector members who had pledged to take up interns ahead of the national launch of the Graduate Internship Program. Stakeholders from the Public Service Commission (PSC), the State Corporations Advisory Committee (SCAC) and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) also participated in the forum which was held in Nairobi.

The Ministry was led by the Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Moses Kuria while KEPSA was led by the Chairperson Mr. Jas Bedi, CEO Ms. Carole Kariuki and KEPSA Foundation Executive Director Ms. Gloria Ndekei. Other KEPSA leaders presented included; KEPSA Director for Education, Sports, Arts & Culture and ICT, Ms. Mutheu Kasanga, and Vice Chair of Trade and Industry Sector Board, Ms. Wambui Mbarire. NCIC was represented by the Chairman Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia.

In his remarks, Mr. Bedi reiterated KEPSA's dedication to realizing C4J's objectives. He underscored the collective effort of KEPSA members; Corporates and BMOs in curbing youth unemployment through internship opportunities. Mr. Bedi stressed the importance of assessing Kenya's domestic confidence index and enhancing labour productivity.

The KEPSA CEO reflected on and celebrated the progress made during the past year of the partnership on internship initiatives. She further reiterated the private sector's commitment to partnering with the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management in providing graduate internship opportunities. By the time of the meeting, a total of 8763 internships for 2024 had been pledged out of which 1483 would be engaged immediately thus fostering a collaborative environment for professional growth.

Hon. Kuria in his keynote address articulated the significance of C4J as a shared space reliant on consumer purchasing power for economic prosperity. Drawing attention to disparities in profit generation among companies, he called upon the private sector to partner in the National Graduate Internships Program to ensure that as many graduates are accommodated for sustainable economic growth.

The Cabinet Secretary advocated for elevating living standards and equal opportunities for Kenyan youth, unveiling measures to enhance employment prospects and economic stability thus ensuring that the young generation appreciates education, and the local companies become training grounds for job export programs. He called upon the private sector and partners to participate in the Graduate Internship Program dubbed ‘Wanagenzi program’ to be launched by His Excellency the President, William Ruto on 4^th March 2024 where over 8,000 graduates will be flagged off to start their internships.

SCAC CEO, Mr. Simon Indimuli highlighted the significant impact of 349 corporations within SCAC, providing employment to over 460,000 Kenyans. He further emphasized the role of the private sector in supporting internship services and expressed SCAC's unwavering commitment to ensuring C4J's success.

The PSC, represented by Ms. Joan Machayo highlighted that PSC aims to translate 200,000 acquired skills into sustainable employment opportunities, emphasizing bridging academic knowledge with practical applications and appreciating the partnership with the private sector in taking up the interns and absorbing them.