A new partnership between BrighterMonday and Kenya’s security sector is repositioning corporate security as an unexpected driver of youth employment, with a focus on skills, training, and job placement across the country.
The initiative seeks to strengthen corporate security leadership while opening up opportunities for young people aged 18 to 35, particularly as organisations respond to rising operational risks and increasingly complex security threats.
Speaking on the collaboration, BrighterMonday’s Country Programme Lead and Head of Strategy TATC, Penina Kimani, said the partnership reflects a shift in how companies approach hiring within the security space.
“Kenyan organisations are increasingly required to adopt proactive, intelligence-led, and skills-driven approaches to onboarding talent in the security sector,” she said, noting that the program will connect young jobseekers to dignified and sustainable employment opportunities in Kenya and across Africa.
Beyond traditional guard services, the partnership positions security as a professional field requiring specialized training, crisis preparedness, and strategic thinking—areas now seen as critical to business continuity and economic stability.
Industry stakeholders say the move could help address two persistent challenges at once: a shortage of skilled security professionals and high youth unemployment.
Through structured training and verified placement pathways, the program will focus on improving job readiness while ensuring employers access candidates with relevant, up-to-date skills. Participants will also benefit from recruitment linkages designed to match them with evolving industry needs.
The initiative is anchored under the Gen-Kazi program, delivered by BrighterMonday Kenya in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. The program targets youth employment at scale, with a strong inclusion focus—prioritizing women, non-urban youth, and persons with disabilities.
Kimani emphasized that strengthening the security workforce goes beyond employment.
“The security sector is widely recognised as a fundamental pillar for economic growth and stability,” she said. “Growing it in tandem with the expectations of both jobseekers and employers is key.”
By aligning workforce development with corporate security needs, the partnership signals a broader shift: treating safety not just as a cost centre, but as a strategic sector capable of generating jobs and supporting economic resilience.
“Our collaboration will help create secure environments that promote business continuity while expanding employment opportunities for young Kenyans,” Kimani added.
