Kenya’s workforce is young, ambitious, and brimming with potential, yet the path toward dignified employment remains uneven. A new report released by BrighterMonday Kenya, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, highlights how the country’s job market is changing and what needs to shift to ensure that young people are not left behind.
The Skills Gap and Gender Analysis Report 2025 reveals that more than 75% of Kenya’s population is under the age of 35, placing the youth at the centre of the nation’s economic future. However, this demographic advantage is being undermined by a widening skills gap. The report notes that 62.1% of employers are struggling to find graduates with the skills required for today’s work environments. This challenge is compounded by outdated training curricula, digital exclusion, and persistent gender and geographic inequalities.
“We need to move towards demand-driven training that reflects the real needs of today’s employers,” said Sarah Ndegwa, Managing Director of BrighterMonday Kenya. “That means co-creating curricula, expanding work-based learning, and ensuring that every young Kenyan, especially women and non-urban youth, can access dignified work.”
One of the most striking themes across the findings is the centrality of digital skills. Over 75% of employers identified ICT and digital literacy as essential across sectors, regardless of industry. Alongside technical competency, employers also continue to emphasise soft skills, with communication, teamwork, and problem-solving identified as critical for workplace success.
Yet the digital divide remains a defining barrier. Nearly 90% of employers now rely on digital platforms such as LinkedIn for recruitment, but only a quarter of non-urban youth have reliable internet access. This disconnect means that thousands of young people, particularly young women, persons with disabilities, and those living outside major cities are effectively shut out of the modern labour market and remote work opportunities.
Women and persons with disabilities remain notably underrepresented in high-growth fields such as technology, fintech, and construction. At the same time, internships and apprenticeships have become the main doorway through which young people can enter the workforce. This makes stronger employer-TVET partnerships and work-based learning pipelines more urgent than ever.
The report also stresses the need for digital literacy programmes to be expanded across all counties, not just urban centres. The inclusion of diversity and accessibility frameworks in HR systems is highlighted as vital for ensuring equitable workplace cultures. In addition, strengthening connections between employers, training institutions, and youth-serving organisations will be key to improving job placement and ensuring training remains relevant to industry needs. County-level employment programmes are also encouraged to help reduce regional disparities and ensure opportunities do not remain concentrated in Nairobi and a few urban hubs.
This work builds on ongoing efforts such as the Generation Kazi programme, implemented by BrighterMonday Kenya, which focuses on skilling and reskilling young people aged 18 to 35. The programme has intentionally prioritised underserved groups, ensuring that 70% of participants are women, 70% are non-urban youth, and 10% are persons with disabilities. The launch of the report was part of the second edition of HR Smart Lab, BrighterMonday’s platform for driving collaboration and data-led insight on the future of work.
Kenya is full of young people who are resourceful, creative, and determined. They are already shaping new industries, new cultures of work, and new forms of entrepreneurship. Without meaningful access to training, technology, mentorship, and fair employment however, the potential of this generation risks being stifled.
The question is no longer whether Kenyan youth are ready for the future of work. They are. The real challenge is whether the systems around them evolve fast enough to meet the moment.
