Nairobi – The Kenya Utalii College is set to expand its tourism and hospitality training through a new partnership with the Railways Training Institute (RTI). Starting January, the premier hospitality training institution will introduce programs at the RTI Marine Campus in Kisumu, focusing on equipping learners for employment in cruise ships and bolstering the country’s tourism industry.

During the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing at the Marine School, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen announced the partnership. He noted that the collaboration follows the Kenya Maritime Authority’s (KMA) certification of the institution to offer Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). This certification, Murkomen explained, is expected to help tourism and hospitality graduates secure jobs on cruise ships and leisure boats, both locally and internationally.

According to Kenya News Agency, the government has established bilateral labor relations with several countries, offering students who successfully complete the training an opportunity to secure jobs abroad through these agreements. “I will ensure that students who go through these programs are assisted through this arrangement,” he stated.

Murkomen emphasized the untapped potential of tourism, highlighting the government’s efforts to utilize ocean and inland water bodies to grow the sector, with a focus on the blue economy. He specifically mentioned Lake Victoria as a key area in the government’s plans to revitalize transport and tourism activities, creating employment opportunities for the youth.

David Wamatsi, Chairman of the Utalii College Board, mentioned the significant return of the college to the Lake Region after its closure in 2018. The institution, now housed at the Marine School, is poised to offer world-class training to students from the Lake Region counties. “Utalii College has produced over 70,000 graduates who are working globally. We are bringing this caliber of training to Kisumu,” Wamatsi said.

Kenya Railways Managing Director Phillip Mainga commended the partnership, asserting that it would strengthen the hospitality programs offered at RTI. He also revealed that Kenya Railways has allocated funds to modernize workshops at the institute, ensuring learners receive practical, hands-on training.