TVET graduate employment in Rwanda rises nearly 10% in five years, NISR reports

By The Inspirer.

Employment among technical and vocational education and training (TVET) graduates in Rwanda has increased by 9.9 percentage points over the past five years, highlighting the growing importance of skills-based education in the country’s labour market, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).

The report shows that the proportion of TVET graduates securing jobs grew from 58.2 percent in 2021 to 68 percent in 2025, consistently outperforming graduates from general education streams, whose employment rose from 39.7 percent to 52.4 percent over the same period.

Yearly data show some fluctuations in TVET employment: it rose to 63.8 percent in 2022, dipped slightly to 62 percent in 2023, then increased to 67.2 percent in 2024, reaching 68 percent in 2025. Graduates from general education experienced steadier, but slower, growth, reaching 50.5 percent by 2024.

NISR attributes this trend to the practical skills TVET graduates acquire, which enable them to enter the workforce quickly, particularly in service and industrial sectors. These skills also provide a pathway to self-employment, allowing graduates to create jobs rather than rely solely on formal employment opportunities.

Sectors absorbing the largest share of TVET-trained workers include construction, electrical works, mechanics, and industrial technology, compared with traditional office-based roles.

The Ministry of Education’s 2024/2025 report shows that TVET enrolment from level 1 to level 5 rose by 15.6 percent, reaching 135,025 students, though female participation remains low.

Under the second national strategy for transformation (NST2), the government aims for 60 percent of upper secondary school graduates to pursue TVET pathways, addressing youth unemployment and strengthening Rwanda’s skills pipeline for the future.