The Kenyan government, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), has launched a three-year initiative aimed at placing 30,000 young Kenyans in paid private sector internships.

The Next Generation Youth Empowerment Programme, launched by President William Ruto at State House, will run until 2029 and is part of the government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

The program targets youth economic empowerment through job creation, skills development, and enterprise support, with ambitions to scale up to 100,000 beneficiaries by 2029.Participants will receive training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, life skills, and financial literacy to enhance their employability.

The initiative addresses the transition gap between education and employment, providing structured placements to equip graduates with work-ready skills.

The government has committed KSh 2 billion to the program, which aims to close persistent skills gaps and expand the pool of trained graduates available to employers.This move aligns with efforts to ensure economic growth benefits all Kenyans, particularly historically marginalized communities.