Selvi Academy turns sites into open-air schools: in 2025, 6,200 people earned certificates from welding to equipment operation.
Selvi Academy, the vocational training program that Selvi Holding runs on overseas sites, certified 6,200 people in 2025. The program aims to leave lasting skills in the local community when a project ends.
How it works
At the start of each new project the local labor market is analyzed and missing trades identified. A training workshop set up on site then runs 8- to 24-week modules together with local vocational high schools and professional bodies. Participants do both classroom study and practice in a real working environment.
Training areas
- Welding, rebar fixing and formwork
- Heavy equipment operation (excavator, roller, crane)
- Site electrics and installation
- Safety and first aid, working-at-height certification
- Quality control and laboratory technician skills
- Digital skills: tablet-based job tracking
Results
Eighty-three percent of the 6,200 people trained in 2025 were employed on Selvi projects or by local firms after training. Thirty-one percent of participants are women, well above the sector average. Graduates of the program now work as foremen and formwork carpenters at local construction firms in Kenya, Georgia, Senegal and Qatar after projects end.
Partnerships
The program is run in partnership with international vocational training organizations and local trade chambers. Certificates are aligned with national qualification frameworks and recognized by employers. Distance learning modules and a mobile app are also offered to employees.
Future goals
Selvi Academy aims to certify 10,000 people a year by 2030 and raise the share of women to 40 percent. More information about the program is on the Sustainability page, and internship and job opportunities can be followed in the Careers section.
A graduate's story
Wanjiru, 27, trained on the Nakuru–Eldoret project in Kenya, worked on the project after earning her welding certificate and now runs her own small metal workshop. “The certificate gave me not just a job but confidence,” she says. Sixty-two percent of women participants in the program reported higher incomes after training.
Measurement and evaluation
The program is evaluated every year by an independent research organization, which reports on employment, income increase and participant satisfaction.
Feedback from participants
In the satisfaction survey at the end of the program, 94 percent of participants said they would recommend the training to friends. The most valued elements were hands-on work in a real site environment, mentor support and the certificate being recognized by local employers. A total of 120 local employers reported that they prioritize program graduates.
Equipment and safety
Training workshops use the real machines and equipment the teams use; personal protective equipment is mandatory in every class and instructors hold OHS specialist certification. Zero lost-time injuries were recorded during training.