Indicators of Professional Competence for Sustainable National Development in Kenya

Abstract

The indicators for professional competence in university education are desirable for assessment and prediction of sustainable national development. The goal was to create an evidence based focus between Kenya’s national development strategies (educational) and the learner’s professional competence in achieving sustainable development for themselves and for their country. The indicators of the professional competence for university students were reviewed using a modified Competencies Assessment Tool (CAT) adapted from American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE, 2014). The indicators were identified as; effective communication and relationship management, leadership skills, professionalism, knowledge of the practice environment, and business skills and knowledge. Professional competence education and training has not kept pace with these challenges, largely because of fragmented competence development strategies that produce ill-equipped graduates. young professionals, however, will develop sustainable competence if they will be empowered but not micromanaged, sponsored to serve as role models, allowed to manage their own scale of innovation, trusted without being prejudiced, and be positively challenged rather than being marginalized. We recommend that the university should: develop ethical values among all university students, encourage competence development to match theory in the university education, promote responsibility and interest among learners, decide on strategies for sustaining professional competences, and formulate tests to assess competency level for employability of all final year university students.