Third cohort of the Naivas Supermarket Trainees have graduated.
The country’s leading retailer has been committed to training fresh graduates through its intensive nine-month Graduate Trainee (GT) Programme as it looks to retain its talent.
This is set to address the gap in the retail sector and Kenyan labor market which has been grappling with skill mismatch.
According to Naivas Chief of Strategy Andreas von Paleske the retail industry, contributing nine per cent to Kenya’s GDP, plays a pivotal role in the country’s economy, yet from a career perspective, it has in many instances been looked at as a fallback plan.
“Naivas aims to attract and retain top talent in the country. Creating clear career paths for our employees is vital, which led to the establishment of the Naivas Retail Academy, with the GT program as a key component.” He said.
During the graduation, 35 trainees were received as Naivas employees.
“ This milestone is just the beginning, and we plan to expand the program further, including partnerships with more learning institutions.” He added.
Historically, careers in retail have often been seen as secondary options. However, with innovations like the Foodmarket concept, Naivas says it is changing this perception.
The programme is aimed at upskilling fresh graduates with competencies in various business functions within retail and aims to equip young professionals with the skills needed to excel in various functions within the retail sector.
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It comes when Kenya is striving towards economic growth and development, with the disparity between the skills possessed by the workforce and those demanded by industries remaining a critical issue.
