For employers
What employers really look for in a new hire
Employers told us the same thing again and again. They are not short of CVs. They are short of evidence. Here is how IDEA's employer model responds.
In the months before launch, we asked employers across construction, energy, automotive and business services a simple question. What makes a new technical hire work out? Their answers were strikingly consistent.
Nobody said grades. Most said the same three things: can the person do the job safely, can they work without constant supervision, and will they turn up and keep learning. A certificate answers none of these questions. Only watching someone work does.
Safe, competent work from the first week
The ability to work without constant supervision
Reliability and a willingness to keep learning
Communication with clients and colleagues
That is why IDEA's employer model is built on a ladder with four rungs. Employers can advise on what we teach, host learners on real jobs, hire the ones who prove themselves, and buy training for their own teams. Each rung builds trust for the next.
"The best interview is two months of watching someone work. Our host employers get exactly that."
Hosting a learner costs an employer no fee. In return, they get supervised extra hands, early sight of the best talent, and a hiring decision based on evidence rather than guesswork. Our most important measure of success is simple. How many employers hire our graduates, and how many come back to hire again.
If you employ technicians in Kenya, we would like to hear what you cannot find. The answer shapes what we teach.
Insights & ideas
