Kenyan delegation visits Central Nebraska and tours facilities

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) – A Kenyan Delegation visited Central Nebraska on Friday and toured facilities they could potentially send employees to.

The truck driver shortage is no secret.

“There are tens of thousands of truck driving jobs that are open at any given time,” said Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen.

But, global workforce developments in collaboration with Kenya hope to combat that issue.

Grand Island Express is one of the facilities the delegation toured, and they currently have over 20 employees with green-card sponsorships and 60 more in the process of obtaining one.

Evnen addressed concerns Nebraskans may have about the global workforce development, “In this industry, the immigrants aren’t taking people’s jobs, they’re filling jobs that are going unfilled.”

Once the ball gets rolling, Evnen said they expect to have around 500 Kenyans join the workforce.

Kenya Principal Secretary, State Department for Diaspora Affairs, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Roseline Njogu, has led the delegation and said in her time here, she’s seen similarities in Nebraska and Kenya.

“When people bring 100% or 120% of who they are into these places that just comes through in the workplace,” said Njogu. “So I saw that here and I thought that’s something I’ve also seen at home and I think these values even across all these miles are shared and make for a good, a good pairing.”

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