Nairobi, March 28 -- Before Naomi Murumba joined Nairobi Technical Training Institute in 2020 for a certificate course in food and beverage production, she had little idea how she would secure an industrial attachment, a prerequisite for graduation.

"I knew to get an attachment, I needed to know someone who knew someone who would help. But I didn't," she says.

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One thing saved her, though. One of the course units focused on communication, negotiation, persuasion and emotional intelligence.

She mastered the knowledge and when the time came to search for placement, she pulled out the cards.

"No one helped me at all to secure my attachment. I just approached...