Although engineering has been attracting the best A - level and O – level candidates every passing year the job market has been an embarrassment to some graduates, says Dr Peter Ndiba, a civil engineering lecturer at the university of Nairobi.
Ndiba narrates his personal story of though times he went through after graduating from the University of Nairobi, with a civil engineering degree. Construction work were far between as the economy was struggling, Ndiba says thus wasting some of his productive years.
Peter Kamau* graduated with an engineering degree from Moi University in 1998 – for the first years after his graduation he tried to find a job but in vein – thus settling for matatu driving and running a butchery in his home town. It is the ambitious on - going roads building across the country that has secured him a job with a Chinese company.
Political and economic status of the country affects job opportunities for engineering graduates adversely, the don points out, the booming telecommunication industry has opened vast opportunities for electrical, electronics and information technology graduates as well as infrastructure building for civil engineers and architectures.
Notwithstanding that there is a perception that Kenya seriously needs science and technology graduates to realize Vision 2030, says Michael Mangala, a lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology,adding, "those who have already graduated from our middle level colleges and universities are underutilized."
“We have several science related graduates who are working in fields not related to their area of specialization to make ends meet,” Mangala articulates, resonating with Prof Shem Wandiga who says, there is a chasm between industrial needs and the knowledge disseminated in our institutions of higher learning.
The government's approach of hiring foreign research experts is demoralizing to local scientific researchers. Involving local universities in research will lead to nurturing future scientific researchers - as students at different levels will be involved, directly, Wandiga says, “there is need for close working between the industry and institutions of higher learning than it is at the moment.”
As the Chairman of Kenya Chemical Societies Association (KCSA) and the Kenyan Unesco Director, Centre for Science and Technology Innovations they are out to nurture a crop of scientist and technologist horned with entrepreneur skills. This is expected foresee more Kenyan scientist and engineers applying their knowledge through various projects, products and gadgets creation and innovations that will make a social and economic impact. If the recent engineering of information and technology software and the innovation of technological devices is anything to go by - then what Kenyan students needs is an enabling environment to exploit their huge potential.
There is an urgent need to over haul our science and technology teaching to match with industrial needs, says Dr Kamau Gachigi, a mechanical engineering lecturer at the University of Nairobi and the current Chair and Coordinator Science and Technology Park Streering Committee, adding, there have been cases where employers have expressed a discontent with top graduates.
Technology will have much impact and beauty when its fruits are touchable, says James Ayemba, an electronics technology lecturer at the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton, (UEAB) adding that this will be realized if there is a close working relationship between the industry and institutions of higher learning.
Some of technology experts have an idea that the ministry of industrialization in collaboration with that of higher education need to moot a plan of establishing small and medium firms in our institutions of higher learning related with various courses offered. This will give students a first hand experience as they are able to put into use their minds and hands.
There is an urgent need to ignite a passion for making science as a play thing among our students, says Joshua Adegun, technology lecturer at UEAB, from lower classes as well as equipping our laboratories with modern equipments and tools.
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology is among the Kenyan universities that are taking a lead in creating industries run by university's department of food technology and agriculture. Egerton, Baraton, Maseno too are running various firms that offer students an opportunity to work as they learn.
The much needed experience can be gained too by Kenyan universities offering work study programme says Prof Mutuku Mutinga, the former vice chancellor of UEAB, this will enable students to raise school fees for their studies as they acquire the much need work experience and attitude.
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