Some 20 Trainers of Trainers among them one woman have graduated after undergoing an intensive hands-on five months training in automotive engineering at Meru National Polytechnic.
The trainers sampled from various TVET institutions countrywide had a chance to undergo automotive maintenance Technology training under the AVIC Intl Vocational Training Project dubbed Africa Tech Challenge (ATC).
Speaking during their graduation at the institution Saturday, Senior Assistant Director of Technical Training, Mr. Zachary Ooko reiterated the value of practical skills in helping achieve the Big Four Agenda which TVET institutions have been committed to spearhead through equipping teachers working in the institutions.
“Now that we have the equipment with us, the objective is that we must ensure we have the right staff who are going to handle the machines thus the training,” said Ooko who represented PS State Department of Vocational and Technical Training, Dr. Kevit Desai.
He urged the trainers to partner among themselves and with other industrialists that are ready to address the existing gaps in the automotive world.
“There will be no other better way rather than being part of the industries. As we prepare you, we are not limiting you on what to do, but give the employer the hours you have agreed on and partner with that employer for better training and empowerment,” he advised.
Meru National Polytechnic Principal, Mr. Geoffrey Rukunja said that TVET sector would experience a paradigm shift owing to the support they were receiving from the government and other partners especially in equipping the institutions.
Meru National Polytechnic has been a beneficiary of the government procured equipment, worth over Sh. 122 million that the 20 trainers interfaced with in the course of their training for the last 150 days.
AVIC Intl Representative, Sean Liu said there were such similar training programmes in the offing and urged those who benefitted from the premier programme to help create a new breed of technicians with practical skills in automotive engineering.
There are more ATC training programmes being sponsored by the Ministry of Education in partnership with AVIC and there will be a new training centre to be established in the near future.
The granduads lauded the training saying it will go a long way in improving their work delivery in their respective institutions.
They however appealed to the government to ensure the machines used in the training were supplied to all technical training institutions, so that they utilise the skills learned.
“Unfortunately some of the equipment are yet to be supplied to some of our institutions. Some of the trainers are yet to be employed and we appeal to the government to consider them in the future recruitment now that they are better equipped than before,” said John Rono the trainers’ representative.
By Richard Muhambe
