For many Kenyan students, graduation is imagined as the finish line. Years of lectures, assignments, examinations and sleepless nights are expected to lead naturally to a job. But for many graduates, the reality after campus is very different.
A degree can open a door, but it does not automatically guarantee that someone will walk through it.
Kenya’s changing labour market is forcing young people to rethink what it means to be prepared for employment. The 2026 Economic Survey reported that 822,100 new jobs were created in 2025, but 87.2 percent of those jobs were in the informal sector. This shows why depending entirely on the traditional idea of completing university and immediately getting a formal office job may leave many young people unprepared.
Universities teach students important theoretical knowledge, but students also need practical skills that can help them adapt outside the classroom. Communication, digital skills, financial management, entrepreneurship, networking and problem-solving are increasingly important.
A student studying journalism, for example, should not only know how to write a news story. They should understand audio production, video, social media, interviewing, digital publishing and personal branding. A business student should not only understand theories of management but also know how to communicate with customers, market a product and use digital tools.
This does not mean degrees are becoming useless. Far from it. Education remains important. The problem is expecting a certificate to do all the work.
There is also a need for students to start thinking about their careers before their final semester. Internships, volunteering, campus projects and small personal initiatives can become opportunities to gain experience and build relationships.
The modern graduate may need to be both an employee and a creator of opportunities.
Students should therefore be encouraged to develop at least one practical skill alongside their academic programme. It could be graphic design, photography, coding, hairdressing, tailoring, digital marketing, public speaking, content creation, farming or another legitimate skill.
The conversation around graduate unemployment should also move beyond blaming young people for not being “hardworking enough.” Young people need opportunities, mentorship, fair recruitment processes and access to practical training. At the same time, students can take responsibility for preparing themselves for a labour market that is changing.
Graduation should not mark the beginning of learning. It should mark the point where classroom knowledge begins meeting real-world experience.
A degree matters. But in today’s Kenya, the ability to turn knowledge into something useful may matter just as much.
