South Eastern Kenya University's Office of Career Services (OCS) was established in 2018 in response to a ministerial order to all universities to guide students on aspects of careers, career pathways and increase in employability. The office is mandated to mainstream provide services in student career and professional development.
The areas of focus for the SEKU OCS include;
- Career guidance and counseling programmes
- Academic mentoring
- Graduate tracking
- Provision of career reference resources
- Increased training and industry exposure
The OCS offers assistance to students in planning for immediate employment or post graduate studies in local or international institutions. To increase employability of graduates, the OCS conducts trainings in curriculum vitae writing, attending interviews, job etiquettes, professional ethics and emergence of international labour laws in the digital edge.
Therefore, the OCS forms a vital link for a multidisciplinary platform to share and learn how to make a smooth transition from being mere students to being employees under different rules and regulations. The OCS provides such services to enable SEKU students to have a competitive edge in the job market. Some of the milestones of the SEKU OCS so far are: OCS policy that is near finalization, developed the career pathways for all the SEKU academic programmes including the potential employers and the role models; operationalization of career ambassadors, mentorship programme, sensitization and awareness workshops for both student and staff, tracer and employer surveys.
The Career Services Office focuses on the following: providing career guidance, counseling mentorship; facilitating Alumni engagement, networking and outreach; strengthening collaborations and linkages between industries and students; facilitating the financial aid services through work study programmes, scholarships, bursaries and award; and promoting exchange programmes, entrepreneurship and innovation incubation. The services offered af fhe SEKU OCS include career guidance and counseling programmes, academic menforing, graduate tracker services, provision of career reference resources, increased training and industry exposure through attachments, internships and increasing employability capacities of students at local, national and globally.
SEKU held its first career fair from 24-25,h February 2021 on the theme connecting skills to innovation and entrepreneurship. The fair provided an interactive platform for public and private sector players in different industries and hosted business owners, innovators, entrepreneurs and organizations, who were looking to fill various skill needs and positions with suitably trained individuals of relevant work experience, innovation and entrepreneurial skills.