Lack of training causing shortage of engineers, IEK says

The Institute of Engineers in Kenya (IEK) has called for the implementation of a sustainable internship program for engineering graduates, especially from the government which is the largest employer of engineers, in order to address the current shortage of engineers.

Currently, there are about 2500 certified engineers in Kenya. And against a population exceeding 50 million people, the engineer per capita ratio in Kenya is about 1:16000, far exceeding UNESCO’s recommendation of 1:250.

Speaking in an interview, Eng. Nathaniel Matalanga, the IEK’s president, explained the need for training opportunities for engineering students and graduates, as it is required by law for one to have 3 years of real-world experience, on top of education from an accredited institution, to qualify to be a certified engineer.

However, although more than 2000 engineering students graduate from universities every year, a shortage of job opportunities means  students meet the 3 year threshold for certification.

President IEK Nathaniel Matalanga: Our main challenge is that students don’t get opportunities to practice after finishing university.The law requires one to train for three years before becoming a certified engineer. #InsideGovernment ^CM @obrienkimani @StanleyWabomba @Aaoko_76 pic.twitter.com/zBYwmIfXIr

— KBC Channel1 News (@KBCChannel1) February 4, 2022

Despite heavy investment by the current government in infrastructure projects across the country, opportunities for local labor are limited.

Majority of these infrastructure projects are funded by foreign sponsors, who can dictate labor allocation, and predominantly import and favor labor from their own countries.

Other barriers to entry include the long training periods, currently around 7 years at universities.

“Our government needs to stand up and meet(financiers) somewhere in the middle.We need to be able to get local training for our people, such that the future development of this country is done by our people.”

While urging the government to create an enabling environment for the engineering practice, he also noted that there was need to lobby universities to ensure that students get into various infrastructural programmes after leaving the university to get the the experience they required.

Eng Matalanga: Government should provide resources to train egineers in Kenya. It should also create an enabing environmet for the practice of engineers #InsideGovernment ^CM @obrienkimani @StanleyWabomba @Aaoko_76 @TheIEK pic.twitter.com/cGLckQ6Uhz

— KBC Channel1 News (@KBCChannel1) February 4, 2022