The Department of Information Technology at JKUAT in partnership with Smart Applications International Limited, an information technology solutions provider dealing in health insurance and biometric verification, hosted a career talk under the Smart Elevate Programme on July 15, 2026.
Held under the theme: Elevating Minds, Shaping Futures, the career event brought together trainers in financial literacy and mental health, with the goal of preparing all rounded graduates who are ready for the job market.
By Including mental health awareness in career advice, the programme hoped to teach students how to handle challenging situations and push beyond self-imposed limits.
Speaking during the programme, CEO of Smart Applications International, Mr. Isaiah Mosiori, a JKUAT alumnus, highlighted the various opportunities available for graduates. He acknowledged the quality of Kenyan talent and strong work ethic, and impressed upon students on the need to be dynamic in the fast-changing job market.
“A quarter of all jobs are expected to change in the coming years, learn quickly and be ready to adapt. Africa will soon have the youngest working population in the world so be ready to take advantage of the emerging opportunities to work remotely and across borders,” Mr. Mosiori revealed.
Representing Chiromo Hospital Group, Mr. Linus Oyugi, a senior clinical psychologist took the students through a brief mental health session. He urged students to be resilient by deliberately seeking out opinion that challenge their own beliefs.
‘Treat difficult situations as challenges that make you stronger, not threats to avoid,” Mr. Oyugi said. He called on the students to be resilient, stating that the body and mind evolve due to discomfort, not comfort, and that staying active strengthens mental resilience.
“True resilience means facing your greatest fear repeatedly until it loses its hold on you, since the path to success runs directly through what a person fears most,” he added.
Presenting during the Women in Tech session, Ms. Purity Njagi, Head of Project Delivery and Support at Smart Applications International Limited, lauded the female students entering the IT field. She shared her own career journey at the company, where she was among the pioneer women in technical support.
For Caroline Mueni, a second year Computer Technology student, the day’s biggest lesson was about confidence. The event helped her assess her fears and think about what it will take for her to stand out in the industry.
“I come out of this talk determined to better understand my weaknesses and build on my area of interest. My key takeaway from the mentors is that I should first build proof through demo projects on platforms like GitHub,” Ms. Mueni said.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Robert Kinyua, underscored the significance of the event. He affirmed the importance of equipping students with mental health training to complement their academic preparation for professional life.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor was represented by the Chairman of IT Department, Francis Thiong’o, further noted that the career talk was very successful with over 300 students, courtesy of mobilization by the student body congress. “We hope to hold more of such forums because there is a need to give students psychoeducation to make them ready to handle the volatile professional world.”
Other presenters included; Jane Gikonyo (SMART Group HR Director), Collins Ng’eno (SMART Chief Digital and Innovation Officer), Vincent Kimea (ABSA Bank Kenya Sales Manager) and Robert Gichohi (Silicon Savannah).
