Mount Kenya University has launched a new program in which Kenyans will be trained as healthcare assistants for German hospitals starting January 2023.

Dubbed the Certificate in Healthcare Assistant for German Hospitals, the 28-week program will be offered at the university’s main, Thika and Mombasa campuses through its affiliate Equip Africa Institute.

Upon completion, the graduates will be offered a guaranteed Nursing Apprenticeship in partnership with German hospitals, the university said.

“Candidates will be selected based on High School Grades, and German Language Skills and will be required to undergo an Aptitude Test,” Mount Kenya University said in a statement.

“Upon qualifying for the apprenticeship in Germany, students will enjoy the benefit of getting a student visa, salary and a guarantee of full-time employment after completing their training. For the training in Germany, students are not charged any tuition fee but are entitled to get a working contract for the training with a monthly salary to cater for the basic needs and accommodation.” added the university.

To join the program, one must have a C+ (plus) in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Educatįon (KCSE), German language level B2-proficiency (Zertifikat B2), and pass an Aptitude Test administered by the German partner organization.

“We are currently enrolling the student for January 2023 intake,” the university added.

On November 1st, the university enrolled 52 students for German Language A1 in partnership with German’s Hochschule Koblenz University of Applied Sciences.

The nursing profession is one of the sectors most heavily afflicted by the labor shortage in Germany, with studies forecasting a shortfall of up to 500,000 nurses by 2030.