Catherine Wanjiru

CATHERINE W. MAINA P.O Box-, Garden Estate Road, Cedar Court Nairobi, Kenya  Cell: (-  Email:-PERSONAL DETAILS Languages: English, Swahili Nationality: Kenyan Gender: Female PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY An adept system thinker and a global development expert with a wealth of knowledge in overseeing international initiatives and fostering business growth within higher education establishments. Exhibits a proven talent for devising and executing plans to expand project portfolios, forge fresh collaborative avenues, and excel in participatory intervention, stakeholder involvement, and strategic administration. Proficient in project life cycle management, business expansion, team supervision, and partnership cultivation. Possesses comprehensive familiarity with various donors (bilateral, multilateral, and foundations) and possesses handson experience collaborating with educational institutions, NGOs, industry sectors, and government agencies operating under the purview of the Ministry of Education and Labor. KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES ACQUIRED          Technical Expertise: Possesses comprehensive knowledge and expertise in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), gender mainstreaming, and innovative learning methodologies. Research and Analysis: Proficient in conducting thorough research, collecting and analyzing data, and deriving meaningful insights to inform evidence-based decision-making and project design. Training Design and Delivery: Experienced in designing and delivering impactful training programs tailored to diverse audiences, ensuring effective knowledge transfer and skills development. Stakeholder Engagement: Proven ability to build and nurture relationships with diverse stakeholders, including government entities, NGOs, industry partners, and local communities, fostering collaboration and ensuring the successful implementation of projects. Gender Mainstreaming: Demonstrates a deep understanding of gender-responsive approaches and possesses the skills to effectively integrate gender considerations into program design and implementation. Project Management: Skilled in project management methodologies, coordinating resources, monitoring progress, and proactively mitigating risks to achieve project objectives within budget and timeline constraints. Communication and Presentation: Exhibits excellent verbal and written communication skills, effectively conveying complex concepts to various stakeholders and delivering compelling presentations. Problem Solving and Critical Thinking: Demonstrates strong analytical and critical thinking abilities, allowing for the identification of challenges, innovative problem-solving, and the development of creative solutions. Cultural Sensitivity: Values and respects cultural diversity, working effectively and respectfully in multicultural settings, and adapting approaches to suit specific cultural contexts. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE INDUSTRY LINKAGES AND RPL ADVISOR Toolkit Skills and Innovation Hub | April 2021 – Present Duties and Responsibilities  Collaborate with stakeholders to define gender-related objectives and conduct a comprehensive gender analysis. Formulate innovative strategies to seamlessly incorporate gender equality principles into the 1 project design.  Demonstrate proficiency in identifying and engaging partners within the construction and renewable energy sectors, leading to an outstanding 90% response rate and ultimately securing 40% signed cooperation agreements.  Proactively seek out and evaluate funding opportunities from diverse donors, including bilateral,  multilateral, and foundation sources, to ensure sustainable project financing. Provide expert guidance and mentorship to project teams, utilizing strong leadership and communication skills to foster a collaborative and high-performing work environment.  Monitor project progress and performance indicators, conducting regular evaluations and implementing corrective measures as necessary to ensure the successful achievement of project goals and targets.  Successfully developed and implemented a professional mapping tool for registering all the companies that had been identified for progress tracking on job and attachments provision. INDUSTRY LEARNING CONSULTANCY Master Fabricators | January 2023 - present Duties and Responsibilities   Youth mobilization for upskilling and reskilling in welding and Fabrications. Assessment center registrations. IN - COUNTRY RESEARCH SPECIALIST Breastfeeding facility research project - Sigalagala National Polytechnic January 2023 to December 2023 Duties and Responsibilities  Carried out applied research to determine to what extent having a breastfeeding facility on campus can contribute to women empowerment, gender equality and capabilities in female trainees who are pregnant or recently delivered babies.  Determined through applied research how the breastfeeding facility can help vocational and technical institutions leadership policy makers and organizations that promote education, gender equality wellbeing and international development to develop new programs and make informed decisions. GENDER CONSULTANT FOR RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING TVET PROJECT Humber College, International Development Institute | July 2020 – September 2021 Duties and Responsibilities  Collaborate with stakeholders to define gender-related goals and conduct a gender analysis. Develop strategies to integrate gender equality into the project design.  Guide the project team in incorporating gender considerations throughout the RPL TVET project. Ensure gender-responsive approaches in activities, materials, and curricula.  Collaborate with vocational training institutions, industry partners, and government agencies. Organize consultations and workshops to gather diverse stakeholder input.  Provide gender-focused training to project staff, trainers, and assessors. Support vocational training institutions in implementing gender-sensitive RPL practices.  Develop gender-specific indicators and tools. Monitor project activities and prepare progress reports on gender-related outcomes.  Document good practices and lessons learned. Contribute to gender-related knowledge products and present findings at relevant events.  Documenting the occupational specific tasks, including occupational changes and changes of skills within an occupation  Identifying work enablers i.e. general knowledge and skills, worker behaviors (personal traits and 2 interpersonal skills), and tools and equipment used for each of the selected trade area per TVET institution  Identifying the private sector partners to collaborate with for each of the 5 TVET institutions.  Holding Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with expert workers to validate occupational standards  Linking /comparing the occupational standards to the existing training standards (if any) in the TVET  institutions and recommending appropriate course of action An assessment of the skill supply and trends in enrolment and completion rates for each of the education levels, characteristics of the labor force and factors that affect labor market dynamics and Gender  An assessment of the skills demand, to determine skills required by employers in the respective sector and the profile of the labor force with key reference to Gender  Conducting a comprehensive assessment of the main recruitment mechanisms, employment and livelihood opportunities by sector, and documenting the competencies required within the sector value chains, with emphasis on Gender CONSULTANT KISIP | October 2020 – December 2020 Project Description  Assisted in mobilizing and awareness creation for youths in 14 different counties in the informal settlements for uptake of government TVET programs. CONSULTANT Natural Born Leaders | January2019 – to date Project Description  Carrying out Continuous Professional Development with TVETS that offer ECD courses within Nairobi County, to implement and maintain the highest quality child care learning and development standards through our cutting-edge online teacher training and consulting; working in close partnership with Natural Born Leaders – a UK Firm that works with preschools and VET stakeholders within the framework of Early Childhood Training worldwide. INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT International Labor Organization (Country office for Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi | March 2021 Project Description  Conducted a National-wide organizational capacity assessment of TVET agencies in Kenya and developed a short to medium-term capacity development strategy and offered technical assistance to equip the agencies with requisite skills for effective implementation of the Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) in Kenya. Duties and Responsibilities  Contributed to the development and implementation of country-specific TVET programs and initiatives aligned with the ILO's objectives and priorities.  Conducted research and analysis on TVET policies, trends, and issues in the respective countries. Provided expert advice and recommendations to inform policy development and decision-making processes.  Collaborated with government agencies, educational institutions, employers' organizations, trade unions, and other relevant stakeholders to promote TVET development and enhance partnerships.  Provided technical support and guidance to enhance the capacity of TVET institutions and stakeholders in designing and delivering quality training programs. This included curriculum development, teacher training, and improving industry-relevant skills. 3  Managed assigned TVET projects, ensuring their effective implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Coordinated with project partners, stakeholders, and team members to achieve project objectives and deliverables. Donor Agency: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Key TVET Agencies: Technical Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA), TVET Fund, Kenya National Qualification Authority (KNQA), State Department for Vocational and Technical Training and Development and TVET Curriculum Development and Certification Council (CDACC) TVET Institutions Involved: PC Kinyanjui Technical College, Coast Technical Training Institute, RIAT College, Kitale Technical Institute and Bumbe Technical Training Institute INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT International Labour Organization (Country office for Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi | January 2021 Project Description  Supported the Implementation of a National-wide Competence Based Education and Training (CBET) in TVET and Higher Education (HE) in Kenya by reviewing the efficiency and effectiveness of Kenya’s Labour Market Information Duties and Responsibilities  Analyzed labor market trends, including employment demand, emerging sectors, skill gaps, and industry needs, to identify areas where CBET could address skills mismatches and enhance workforce development.  Assessed the implementation of CBET in TVET and Higher Education institutions in Kenya, evaluating its alignment with industry needs, the effectiveness of competency frameworks, and the integration of practical skills training.  Identified opportunities for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of CBET implementation, such as curriculum review, teacher training, strengthening industry partnerships, and aligning assessments with industry standards.  Engaged with key stakeholders, including government agencies, TVET and HE institutions, industry representatives, and employers, to gather insights, collaborate on CBET implementation strategies, and ensure stakeholder buy-in. Donor Agency: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). State Agencies Involved: National Human Resource Planning and Development, Department of the Ministry of Labor, TVET Curriculum Development and Certification Council (CDACC), TVET Authority (TVETA), Kenya National Qualification Authority (KNQA), and The Commission for University Education (CUE). HRD CONSULTANT – KYEOP PROJECT Ministry of Labour - Directorate of National Human Resource Planning and Development | April 2018 – August 2019 Duties and Responsibilities  Assisted in reviewing labour market information on key employable skills among the Kenyan workforce.   Developed an evaluation tool of key employable skills possessed by the Kenyan workforce. Researched on viable labour markets for skilled Kenyan workers including skills and occupations demand 4  Collaborated with key stakeholders in contributing towards development of a branding strategy and a time bound action plan for enhancing access to jobs and career prospects by the youth of Kenya CONSULTANT World Bank (Kenya Accountability Devolution Program) |May 2017 - Nov 2017 Duties and Responsibilities   Conducted assessments and evaluations of accountability and devolution frameworks in Kenya. Provided expert policy advice and recommendations to the government of Kenya on accountability and devolution.  Supported capacity-building initiatives for government officials and stakeholders on accountability   principles and practices. Engaged with government agencies and stakeholders to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange. Assisted in designing and implementing projects to promote accountability and devolution.  Supported policy and institutional reforms for strengthening accountability and devolution.  Carried out an annual analysis of economic data for the period of 2007 to 2017  Consulted for the Regional Skills Development and TVET Initiative Project  Utilized various data analysis software to analyze large sets of data; working in close liaison with International Developmental Organizations HUMAN RESOURCE ASSISTANT Ministry of Health – US CDC Project |April 2012- April 2017 Duties and Responsibilities    Assisting with day to day operations of the HR functions and duties Providing clerical and administrative support to Human Resources executives Compiling and updating employee records (hard and soft copies)  Processing documentation and prepare reports relating to personnel activities (staffing, recruitment, training, grievances, performance evaluations etc)  Coordinating HR projects (meetings, training, surveys etc) and take minutes  Dealing with employee requests regarding human resources issues, rules, and regulations  Assisting in payroll preparation by providing relevant data (absences, bonus, leaves, etc)  Communicating with public services when necessary  Handling complaints and grievance procedures  Coordinating communication with candidates and schedule interviews  Conducting initial orientation to newly hired employees  Assisting our recruiters to source candidates and update our database HUMAN RESOURCE INTERN Leaders in Action |- Duties and Responsibilities   Offered expert guidance on leadership development and organizational effectiveness. Created and delivered customized training programs to enhance leadership skills and team per Offered professional development to bank employees which resulted in increased levels of productivity. ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE March 2021: Guest lecture speaker at Norquest College in Canada: Shared a detailed analysis of the Kenyan TVET landscape to the Global Citizenship class. 5 EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION April 2016 – August 2020: Bachelor’s Degree in Human Learning and Development at Georgia State University, College of Education and Human Development. November 2016: Diploma in Human Resource Management at University of Nairobi, Kenya. September 2020: Conflict of Interest Risk Management for your project at Open Learning Campus, World Bank. January 2020: Cultivating young scientists through Culture and Family Engagement at Early Childhood Investigation Webinar May 2014: Certification Human Resources for Health (HRH) basic at Global Health eLearning center May 2014: Certification M&E Fundamentals at Global Health eLearning center. May 2014: Certification Language Development in Children. July 2007: Certification Call Centre Management at Wisemen Trainers College, Nairobi. August 2006: Certification Microsoft Office Computer Packages at Gebcons computer college Nairobi PUBLICATION  Co-authored and presented a paper on Gender Equality and TVET at the Futures of Education – Learning to Become Conference, earlier this year AWARDS AND HONOURS  Received recognition as the most outstanding Research Assistant for the Kenya Youth Employment and Opportunities Project VOLUNTEER WORK  RPL champion in Nairobi County aiding in the dissemination of up to date, accurate and comprehensive information on RPL tools and services to TVET Institutes and the Industries which improves uptake and accessibility of RPL services. These has resulted to promotion of a holistic approach to talent management and has reach marginalized groups including migrants and refugees’  young women and men particularly in the informal Sector. Sunday School animator with the Christ Evidence Ministry in Kasarani.  Senior advisor to the area Chief and local administrators in Clay city Ward including the elected member of the County Assembly. 6 REFERENCE Mr. Isaac Mbatia Research, M&E Grant manager, The Toolkit for Skills and Innovation Email:-Phone: -. Mr. Stanley Maindi Director Technical Services Kenya National Qualifications Authority Email:-Phone: - Ms. Ana Garcia Project Lead International Development Institute Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning 3199 Lake Shore Blvd. West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M8V 1K8 https://idi.humber.ca | Email:- 7