5+ Little-Known Most Marketable Courses in Kenya

Did you know that Kenya is one of the top-ranked economies in the easiness of doing business? Due to Kenya’s favourable ranking, the country has experienced one of the highest numbers of FDI (Foreign Direct Investments).

Investors and companies moving to Kenya require skilled professionals. And to avoid missing out on these amazing opportunities, it’s essential for Kenyan citizens to familiarize themselves with the most marketable courses in Kenya.

Many people who join institutions of higher learning often think that all courses are equal. That is not the case. In addition, some fields that were once popular aren’t in demand in the job market nowadays due to technological advancements or the number of graduates being higher than the available positions. With Kenya creating a more favourable environment for doing business, there are many opportunities springing up that you should take into consideration.

List of the Most Marketable Courses in Kenya

The following courses will give you a better chance of getting a job after leaving university or college in Kenya:

1. Intellectual Property Law

Kenyans are the most innovative people in the world. However, some of the innovations and artistic expressions are not registered with the relevant authorities. In case of disputes, most creators do not get the right legal representations. Intellectual property lawyers will, therefore, be in demand based on a couple of reasons.

The Kenyan government, through the relevant ministries, have adopted policies that will make it mandatory to patent work. Unfortunately, very few legal minds have specialized in this important niche. Concentrating on this niche is, therefore, one of the best career decisions.

Another reason why intellectual property law is important is the rising number of creatives on YouTube and digital streaming platforms. Kenyan musicians and entertainers have embraced these platforms for exposure and monetization. An intellectual property expert is needed for easy settlement of copyright claims.

2. Digital Marketing

A list of the most marketable courses in Kenya is incomplete without mentioning digital marketing. Kenyan companies have embraced the digital space, thanks to the high internet access in Kenya. According to marketing pundits, digital marketing is one of the best courses to study.

What makes digital marketing one of the top degree courses in Kenya? First, most companies have shown a huge interest in fully going digital as far as marketing is concerned. Second, digital marketing has democratized the marketing world and any business can venture into this form of marketing.

The scope of digital marketing can be different from one business to another. However, unlike most markets in the world, the Kenyan market is understaffed. Becoming part of the first generation of digital marketers will put you in a better possible for any future marketing tread.

Digital marketing as a course is relatively new in Kenya. It is, however, one of the most marketable certificate courses in progressive colleges and universities.

3. Information Technology and Computer Science

Since 2008, Kenya has been one of the best internet-connected countries in the region. The availability of fiber optic has opened up Kenya to a lot of opportunities. Major companies such as Google have African headquarters in Nairobi. The availability of these opportunities makes tech-related studies the most marketable courses to study.

In the last ten years, most companies in Kenya, and particularly in Nairobi have been utilizing the digital space as a marketing and visibility avenue. The number of companies and businesses that are digitalizing is still small compared to other countries in the western world. This difference between the businesses in digital spaces and the total number of businesses means that there is a vacuum of tech professionals.

However, tech as an academic field is home to tens of courses. Some of the most marketable degree courses in this category include the following.

• Computer Science
• Information Technology
• Programming Languages

4. Hospitality Courses

According to the global tourism index, Kenya is one of the most visited countries in Africa. Domestic tourism is also on the rise. The Kenyan coast, major towns, and national parks have a high number of visitors every month. These two trends create a huge market for Kenyan hoteliers.

Two decades ago, the profession was unexplored, due to stereotypes and perception from the academicians. The perception of hospitality has now changed. The national government has invested in awareness campaigns in the past two years, encouraging people to take hospitality courses.

When selecting a course, you should do background research about the course’s credibility through the ministry of tourism. The credibility of a course is important when looking for attachment placement in different hotels and organizations in Kenya. If possible, consider government-sponsored institutions.

It is, however, important to appreciate some facts about hospitality courses in Kenya. It is a diverse niche with many different mini-courses. Some of the most profitable courses in this area include the following.

• Hotel Management
• Travel and Tourism Management
• Food Production
• Tour Operations

5. Fashion Design

Fashion is one of the few courses that continue to be relevant over the years. Unlike most courses, fashion related courses are timeless. The growth of the African fashion industry has opened doors for international brands to work with fashion designers from Africa. This trend is an indication that fashion as an industry will be one of the key Kenyan exports from 2020.

Fashion studies are also one of the marketable certificate courses, thanks to government directives. The Kenyan government, for example, started the “Buy Kenya Build Kenya” campaign, which aims at empowering the Kenyan fashion industry.

Unlike most courses in this list that require one to spend years in university, fashion as an industry has some of the best short marketable courses in Kenya. Colleges and institutes, for example, have come up with ways of condensing course scopes for faster and better learning.

6. Engineering

Engineering is one of the oldest professions in the world and it will be one of the most lucrative courses in Kenya. Kenya has numerous megaprojects and according to the government, the projects may take another two decades. The demand for engineers is, therefore, going up in the next two decades.

The county governments also have smaller construction projects. These projects need professionals in different stages. Although most of the construction companies are foreign, the government has put structures that limit the number of expertise a company can bring in Kenya. Indigenous experts are therefore going to be on-demand.

It is, however, important to note that not all engineers will be on-demand in this growth period. Some of the key engineering courses that will be on-demand include the following.

• Structural Engineering
• Civil Engineering

7. Performing Arts and Music Studies

Art as an academic niche is one of the few niches that will not be replaced by AI and machine learning. Although technology has enabled arts to grow, the position of human input in this niche is irreplaceable. In Kenya, different universities and colleges have started art programs.

The Scandinavian countries such as Norway have given Kenyan creatives a chance to showcase their talents in major European exhibitions. The British Council, which is in Upperhill Nairobi, has also given hundreds of creatives a chance to showcase their talents. Thanks to these investments, performing arts and music studies are the most marketable courses in Kenya.

The availability of these platforms and funding from different organizations make this niche a viable career option. An art is, however, a broad niche and some of the top degree courses in this niche include the following.

• Music Studies
• Performing Arts
• Film and Animation

These seven are the most marketable courses in Kenya, based on the growing economies and the availability of professionals. This is not to suggest that these are the only courses you can undertake. In addition, the choice of an institution may vary from one person to another, but doing a background check is vital. In most cases, different schools may take different approaches to the teaching of a course. Different approaches, however, do not necessarily translate to one program being inferior to another.

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