One of Karatina University’s Strategic Objectives is to produce quality graduates as well as to enhance and develop partnerships with industries and other institutions. These Objectives became a reality on Wednesday, 2nd November 2022, as the University hosted the Standard Chartered Bank CEO, Kariuki Ngari, Board Chairperson, Kellen Kariuki, Board Members and the Executive Committee. The purpose of the event was to provide an opportunity for the top leadership of the Bank to engage and mentor students and to also deepen the relationship between the two institutions.
In his welcoming remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mucai Muchiri, said the forum was important as it focused on re-invigorating the minds of the students to learn, re-learn and adjust themselves to be future-ready for the changing face of work.
‘This forum has provided an opportunity to introspect on the future of work. What employability skills, for example, are essential for the new world of work? How do we develop these skills in our employees and, in this particular instance, our students?’ he posed.
Prof. Muchiri invited the Bank to pursue a partnership with Karatina University in areas of offering attachment places to students, coaching and mentorship especially during the University’s Annual Careers Week, awarding best students who excel in business-related courses and scholarship provision.
In an interactive panel discussion, four students engaged the Board Chairperson and the CEO on a number of cross-cutting issues guided by the Theme ‘The Future is Now: Preparing and Being Relevant in the Changing Face of Work’.
After the panel discussions, the over two hundred (200) students drawn from across the six Schools of the University were divided into five breakaway groups where the mentorship continued. The students were taken through various topics including re-inventing learning, reskilling and adapting skills for the future, the good, the bad and the ugly of Gen-Z, mental health and its impact on young people, entrepreneurship and how to be job creators instead of job seekers, impacting the world as a leader and a change maker among others.
The event was crowned with the planting of commemorative trees by the Board Chairperson and the CEO at the University grounds.