Graduates turn mentors as alumni tackle Kenya's job readiness gap
Education
By
David Njaaga
| Sep 02, 2026
Industry professionals are being mobilised to help bridge the gap between university training and the workplace by giving students access to mentorship, internships and career networks.
Employers increasingly look beyond academic qualifications when recruiting graduates, with workplace experience, practical skills and an understanding of industry demands shaping how young professionals compete for jobs.
For many students, the transition from lecture halls to the workplace can expose a gap between what they learn in university and what employers expect when they begin their careers.
Connecting students with professionals already working in different sectors can give them an early understanding of workplace demands while allowing them to build networks and gain practical experience before graduation.
The approach is now being adopted by the Co-operative University of Kenya Alumni Association (CUKAA), which plans to use its alumni network to create mentorship, internship and sponsorship opportunities for students.
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Kenya National Police DT Sacco Chief Executive Officer Solomon Angutsa Atsiaya has been sworn in as chairman of CUKAA, taking charge of the new initiative alongside the association's executive committee.
Atsiaya said the association would draw on the experience and networks of alumni who have built careers across different sectors to create opportunities for students.
“We have alumni who have built successful careers in different fields. Our responsibility now is to bring that experience, knowledge and network together and make it useful to the students coming behind us,” said Atsiaya.
The association plans to establish a structured mentorship programme linking students with professionals who can provide career guidance, industry exposure and insights into the transition from university to the workplace.
It also plans to establish a sponsorship programme for needy and deserving students while pursuing internship opportunities and professional networks.
Atsiaya said the association would reconnect alumni from CUK and its predecessor institutions and encourage greater participation in the university's development.
The initiative will bring together professionals from different fields as the university seeks to strengthen links between its students, alumni and the wider professional community.
Prof. Isaac Nyamongo, the university's Acting Vice Chancellor, said alumni were important stakeholders in the institution's development and could help strengthen its links with society.
“Alumni are integral stakeholders of the University and a living testimony of the contribution that The Co-operative University of Kenya makes to society,” noted Nyamongo.
He said the new executive would strengthen alumni connections and professional networks while advancing mentorship, research, internships, fundraising and knowledge sharing.
Mary Njoki Mbugua, an assistant lecturer at CUK, serves as vice chairperson while Dr Peter Wawire Ongeti, business development manager at CIC Insurance Group, serves as secretary.
Ongeti also chairs CIC Sacco and serves as a Co-operative Bank of Kenya delegate.
Atsiaya said the association would measure its success by the opportunities it creates for students and the strength of the connections it builds among alumni.