President William Ruto has directed the Public Service Commission (PSC) to increase the number of internship opportunities available within the public service as part of efforts to give more graduates workplace experience.
The President issued the directive during a meeting with PSC representatives at State House, Nairobi, on July 29, where he emphasised the need for more university and college graduates to gain exposure within government institutions.
Ruto also instructed the commission to strengthen performance management systems by introducing effective performance contracting and evaluation measures to track the impact of public servants.
“The PSC should expand the internship programme to provide workplace experience to many more college and university graduates and perfect performance contracting to measure the impact of public servants in the service to Kenyans,” President Ruto stated.
Kenya produces an estimated 50,000 to 80,000 university graduates annually, with additional graduates coming from tertiary and vocational training institutions, increasing competition for limited employment opportunities.
The directive comes shortly after PSC announced 3,000 internship vacancies under Cohort 9 of its Public Service Internship Programme for the 2026/2027 financial year. Applications for the programme are set to close on August 17, 2026.
The internship programme offers successful applicants 12-month placements across government ministries, agencies, and public universities. The positions are non-renewable and provide participants with government stipends alongside completion certificates after successfully finishing the programme.
According to PSC, the initiative is aimed at improving graduates’ employability by equipping them with practical workplace skills while also preparing them for potential future opportunities within the public service.
The move comes amid concerns over graduate unemployment and challenges faced by young people transitioning from education to the labour market.
Data from the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) indicates that fewer than 40 per cent of university graduates successfully transition into employment each year, while youth unemployment among people aged between 15 and 34 remains significantly high.
During the same meeting, President Ruto also called for major reforms in the public service sector, including moving away from manual processes and adopting fully digital systems to improve efficiency and service delivery.
“First, digitalisation must be institutionalised at the PSC in shifting the organisation away from manual and paper-heavy systems towards data-driven and automated models to increase efficiency and create value,” Ruto said.
The push for digital transformation comes days after Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku urged ministries, state agencies, and parastatals to fully adopt the Integrated Human Resource and Payroll System (HRPS).
The system is expected to help address payroll challenges, including the issue of ghost workers, which has previously cost the government billions of shillings according to Auditor General reports.
The expansion of internship opportunities is expected to provide more young graduates with professional experience while supporting government efforts to build a more skilled workforce and improve efficiency across the public sector.