Career Services -

MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES

Ruth Munene -Coordinator, Career Services

The Office of Career Services at Machakos University plays a pivotal role in enriching the overall campus life and professional development of every student. The Office operates under the leadership of the Deputy Vice Chancellor – Academic and Student Affairs and works in close collaboration with the Dean of Students, who serves as the immediate advisor and supervisor.

At the core of its mandate, the Office provides comprehensive academic and career counselling services, alongside holistic mentorship, aimed at supporting students’ personal, academic, and professional growth. The Office is committed to educating, mentoring, and empowering students to develop lifelong career management skills, make informed and effective academic and career decisions, and successfully transition into employment, entrepreneurship, and further studies.

Through intentional integration of academic competence, career guidance, work-related values, and essential soft and life skills, the Office nurtures well-rounded graduates who are confident, adaptable, ethically grounded, and well-prepared to thrive in a dynamic and competitive global environment.

Our Strategic Goals:

1. To develop a globally competitive and future-ready Machakos University graduate brand by equipping students with relevant academic, professional, digital, and soft skills aligned to evolving labor market demands.

2. To enhance graduate employability and career outcomes by strengthening career readiness, work-integrated learning, employer engagement, and transition pathways into employment, entrepreneurship, and further studies.

3. To broaden student awareness and access to diverse career pathways, including opportunities in the public sector, private sector, self-employment, entrepreneurship, innovation, and the gig economy.

4. To continuously strengthen and professionalize career services delivery by adopting data-driven approaches, leveraging technology, and aligning services with national, regional, and global best practices in career development and counselling.

Our Objectives

1. To guide students through structured self-assessment and career exploration processes that enable them to clarify interests, values, strengths, and aspirations, and to develop personalized academic and career goals.

2. To provide professional, student-centered academic and career advising and counselling services that respond to individual needs and support informed decision-making throughout the student life cycle.

3. To establish and continuously develop a comprehensive career resource centre that provides access to relevant information, tools, and learning resources aimed at enhancing career development, employability competencies, and academic success.

4. To support students in identifying and planning viable career progression pathways, including postgraduate studies, professional certifications and short courses, licensure requirements, and engagement with relevant professional bodies aligned to their disciplines.

5. To identify, coordinate, and disseminate timely opportunities for internships, industrial attachments, employment, entrepreneurship, innovation, and business development, in collaboration with industry and institutional partners.

6. To recruit, train, and mentor Career Office Student Ambassadors who support peer-to-peer career education, outreach, and awareness creation across the University community.

Our Activities include:

1. Provision of academic and career counselling and holistic mentorship services to support students’ personal growth, academic success, and career decision-making.

2. Delivery of targeted career education and group counselling sessions tailored to specific student cohorts, including academic departments, year groups, and students with special needs, covering themes such as self-awareness, career planning, life skills, and employability readiness.

3. Organization of skills-based workshops and training programmes on résumé and cover letter writing, job search strategies, employer engagement and recruitment processes, interview and assessment techniques, entrepreneurship, innovation, and workplace readiness.

4. Development, maintenance, and continuous updating of a career opportunities and employer database, including internship, industrial attachment, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities, through strategic partnerships with industry, government, and other stakeholders.

5. Dissemination of timely information on career opportunities, labor market trends, and emerging employment sectors to students and the wider University community.

6. Promotion and marketing of Machakos University students and programmes to prospective employers, and strengthening institutional linkages to enhance graduate employability and work-integrated learning opportunities.

7. Establishment and management of a career resources centre/library, providing students with access to career information, guidance materials, and digital tools that support career development and lifelong learning.