As Kenya faces a growing surplus of unemployed health workers, Thika School of Medical and Health Sciences is setting its sights on the global job market. The private institution, which has operated for 17 years with campuses in Thika, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Kitui, is now developing programs to train nurses and medical professionals for overseas employment.
In line with the government’s push to export skilled labour, the college is working with international consultants to align its training with healthcare job requirements in countries such as Germany and Australia. These nations are experiencing a significant demand for qualified nurses, and Thika Medical College hopes to bridge that gap.
“We’re looking at how to prepare our students for international opportunities,” said school administrator Ranjeet Gupta. “We want to offer overseas training for our nurses to increase their chances of getting jobs abroad.”
This initiative comes at a time when many Kenyan-trained nurses are struggling to find employment locally. Despite being equipped with necessary skills, graduates often face limited job absorption within the country’s overstretched and underfunded health system.
Principal Ann Kimani highlighted the institution’s adoption of the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) model, a government-endorsed approach aimed at making graduates more adaptable and competitive in the job market. However, she acknowledged that clinical attachments offered through local hospitals in Kiambu County serve more as temporary training opportunities than pathways to employment.
“The students are trained to fit into the market, but the reality is that opportunities remain limited here,” Kimani noted.
To sustain its mission and expand its reach, the college is also eyeing regional growth, including the establishment of a satellite campus outside Kenya. Gupta confirmed that such expansion is part of the school’s broader strategy to become a regional leader in medical training.
While the institution recently received recognition from Equity Bank for excelling in a drama competition, students remain focused on securing tangible career prospects. With overseas training pathways now being prioritized, Thika Medical College hopes to give its graduates a better shot at employment beyond Kenya’s borders.
