From jobless to boss: How Kenyans are turning the skills gap into opportunity
According to the Federation of Kenya Employers, many companies are finding it increasingly difficult to hire suitably skilled workers despite high unemployment rates.
Kenya’s labour market is struggling with a widening skills mismatch, a challenge employers say is deepening amid rapid technological and economic change.
According to the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), many companies are finding it increasingly difficult to hire suitably skilled workers despite high unemployment rates.
This disconnect between academic training and job market demands has become a major policy concern, forcing many to pursue careers unrelated to their fields of study.
Amid the challenge, some Kenyans have turned the mismatch into an opportunity — forging new paths where passion and purpose matter more than paper qualifications.
One such example is Alice Kimtai, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Wanderlandadventura, a tours and travel company.
Her journey defies convention, proving that flexibility, determination, and innovation can turn perceived setbacks into success stories.
In an economy where passion-driven careers often seem unsustainable, more Kenyans are finding creative ways to earn a living and cope with the high cost of life.
As a result, many are discovering new strengths in fields far removed from their academic backgrounds.
Kimtai’s story is one of hope and inspiration for anyone seeking purpose in Kenya’s fast-changing job market.
An actuary by training, she has also ventured into the water vending, food, and digital cab-hailing industries — each representing a different chapter in her pursuit of a fulfilling career.
“My journey started immediately after Form 4. I remember when people were going to do computer skills, I opted for employment, getting my first job as a cashier in a local supermarket in Nakuru. But this, of course, brought a clash between me and my father,” she highlighted.
From the beginning, Kimtai challenged the norm, determined to follow her own path.
Her move into the tours and travel industry came after years of searching for purpose.
Despite her insurance background, she once enrolled in an oil and gas course to broaden her prospects.
“I was being strategic and I enrolled in the course, but unfortunately again I did not finish,” she said.
“Growing up, we were told to do what we love, and so now, after realising things are not making any sense, I reflected on the things that I love doing and realised I’m happiest when travelling, exploring new places and free at the same time.”
But passion alone wasn’t enough — she needed to earn an income.
“I asked myself, can I make money from travelling? Of course, there are so many travel companies, and they are doing quite well, but particularly, there's a friend of mine who works with a tour and travel company, and he is always travelling, judging from his social media posts, and so I reached out,” she narrated.
That conversation, held shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic, became her turning point.
“He advised me to register a business name, get a laptop and a good internet connection. So, I knew this was the thing because I needed to be free,” she added.
At the time, her digital cab-hailing business was still active, and her water supply venture was performing well — but travel offered the freedom and fulfilment she sought.
“The friend then gave me an assignment to find a client and take them to a destination. Up to this point, I remember my first client whom I took to Naivasha, and I was so excited because that marked my first step into the industry,” she explained.
Once in business, she concentrated on marketing, leveraging digital tools and social media — particularly WhatsApp — to reach clients and avoid costly traditional advertising.
Today, around 70 per cent of her clients are non-residents, and Wanderlandadventura continues to expand its footprint across East Africa.
Her success, she says, comes from identifying market gaps and knowing when to pivot.
“In business, you need to know when to exit because if you don't, it will keep on eating from your limited cup,” she advised.
Beyond competition, Kimtai cites stringent government policies as a key challenge affecting not just her sector but the wider business environment, ultimately reducing consumer spending.
Still, she remains committed to creating social impact.
Through her initiative, Reliever Academy, Kimtai connects single mothers to job opportunities while equipping them with practical blue-collar skills — merging her entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for empowerment.
Her story is proof that Kenya’s youth can thrive in a changing labour market by turning the gap between education and opportunity into innovation, resilience, and self-reinvention.
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