Trainers at National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) institutes in the country have undergone two months advanced intensive training courtesy of the Korean government.
The training which was conducted in Mombasa for four weeks saw over 40 lecturers proceed for another four weeks in Korea to familiarize with state of the art modern equipment that was donated to the NITA institutions in a bid to prepare learners on emerging trends in the industrial markets.
Speaking during a tour of the NITA institute in Mombasa on Tuesday, the Chairman Board of Directors for NITA, Benson Okwaro said the government of Kenya was aligning its workforce to meet the demands of the current industrial requirements.
He said in the government’s big four agenda the manufacturing and housing sectors can only flourish in enabling environments where the country has to prepared competent work force in the vibrant sector for attainment of its development goals.
The chair lauded the efforts by the Korean government for their input in equipping the institutes with equipment in the ICT, Electrical, refrigeration and auto mobile departments to enhance the training capacity for the institutes.
NITA in its wisdom said the institute centres were to be expanded and trainers from all over the country were brought to Mombasa for the training so they will be able to transfer the knowledge gained from the Korean expert lecturers and share with the trainees at their respective NITA institutions countrywide.
The area of skill development is critical in the development of the country considering the areas of housing and manufacturing.
He added that as a country Kenya, cannot achieve much in the agenda for manufacturing without adequate personnel skilled in electrical knowledge or housing without knowledge on Building and Masonry taught at NITA institutions.
The kind of machinery available at NITA is not available anywhere else in the region thus graduates from the institutes stand a greater chance for direct absorption into the labour market since their skills are of immense value.
By virtue of the equipment and the training that has been availed it has attracted so many interests including over 30 trainees from Madagascar.
Present at the institute inspection tour was the KOICA representative to Kenya, Ms. Soyeon Shin and the Director Industrial Training, Stephen Ogenga and William Mwanza among other leaders.
By Joseph Kamolo
