Tatu City and GIZ partner to upskill youth in the construction sector

Tatu City and GIZ partner to upskill youth in the construction sector

The initiative aims to equip Kenyan youth with market-ready skills for infrastructure-driven careers

Tatu City, Kenya, 16 July 2025 – Tatu City, Africa’s leading new city, located just 30 minutes from Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, entered into a strategic partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to promote vocational training and improve youth employability prospects. The partnership will be realized through the Build4Skills and Promotion of Youth Employment and Vocational Training programmes, both implemented by GIZ.

Build4Skills is a flagship initiative commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and implemented by GIZ. It integrates practical vocational training into infrastructure projects. Inspired by Germany’s dual training model, Build4Skills bridges the gap between classroom learning and industry demands by equipping young people with hands-on experience in real-world settings, ensuring they are job-ready upon graduation.

“The Build4Skills programme exists to bridge the gap between training and employment by embedding real-world learning into the construction sector. Our partnership with Tatu City offers the perfect platform to provide TVET trainees with relevant, on-site experience. Together, we are aligning technical education with market demands,” said Rehan Dubow, the Vocational Training and Labour Market Advisor for the Build4Skills programme.
“Our partnership with GIZ is not only a response to current demand but a long-term vision to build a sustainable talent pipeline,” said Linda Nyaseda, Head of City Management at Tatu City. “As Tatu City continues to grow as a model city for Africa, we are investing in people just as much as infrastructure.”

Tatu City is committed to accommodating over 30 interns by the end of the year. So far, Tatu City has successfully hosted more than 10 interns from local TVET institutions under the Build4Skills programme, offering students on-the-job training across its departments. This model of work-based learning is critical to preparing Kenyan youth for careers in infrastructure, building, and development. The partnership aims to expand further by collaborating with the Promotion of Youth Employment and Vocational Training programme, which utilizes the dual training model to strengthen collaboration between TVET institutions and industry. The initiative is jointly financed by the Governments of Finland and Germany.

“We are proud to partner with Tatu City, a forward-thinking urban development that recognises the power of practical training in empowering youth,” said Immaculate Otieno, Vocational Training and Labour Market Advisor, for the Youth Employment and Vocational Training programme.
This partnership contributes directly to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 4, Quality Education, and 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth, by closing the gap between skills development and labour market demands.

Since its inception, the Tatu City ecosystem has generated over 25,000 jobs, including 4,000 semi-skilled roles filled through the Tatu City Labour Desk. To further address the skills gap, the Tatu City Training Academy, now known as Tatu Skills Hub, has trained more than 500 youth in vocations such as masonry, carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work, with over 80% of graduates securing employment within the city. The Academy provides free, market-relevant training to local youth, empowering them with lifelong skills.

Today, over 25,000 people live, work, and study at Tatu City. There are over 100 companies based at Tatu City, including Emirates Logistics, Heineken, Cold Solutions, CCI Global, Dormans, FullCare, Kärcher, CKL, Naivas, NCBA, Prime Bank, I&M Bank, Grit Real Estate Income Group, Hewatele, Freight Forwarders Solutions, Tamarind Group, ADvTECH, Friendship Group, Bakels, Novis, and Davis & Shirtliff.