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- May 11, 2013
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Former Students at Technical University of Kenya among the crew that delivered an aircraft engine at the institution yesterday. photo/PATRICK VIDIJA
National carrier Kenya Airways has pledged to invest heavily in training of aeronautical engineers to arrest the high turnover in the field.
The airline yesterday partnered with with General Electronic and Boeing to donate a Sh200 high-tech aircraft engine to support Aerospace and Aviation Engineering programme at the Technical University of Kenya.
The engine powers Airbus A310, A300, A330, Boeing 767 and McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft.
KQ's strategic and performance management director Thomas Omondi said the joint initiative aims at ensuring capacity building in aviation training.
He said other donations include aviation maintenance training books, training aids, reading materials, used aircraft parts and aircraft manuals.
Omondi said that the partnership will go a long way in bridging human labour gaps that cripples the aviation industry.
Kenya Airways loses about 200 technicians and engineers annually to other international airlines which offer better remuneration.
“We have always had a challenge with technicians and engineers as we lose about about 100 engineers and technicians respectively who are recruited to the Middle East," Omondi said.
He also said access to quality technical training was limited by inadequate training facilities.
“The truth is that more than 90 per cent of graduands already in the market have not had a chance to practically access things like engines that's why they take a lot of time transcending theoretical material to hands-on reality at work,” he said.
Omondi said, through the partnership, the airline would offer internship opportunities to students under the engineering programme.
"As we speak, we already have several technicians on board and we recently interviewed another lot who recently graduated and will will be brought on board soon," he added.
The airline last year suffered a considerable brain drain leaving the technical department greatly understaffed causing delays and safety concerns.
The Technical University of Kenya's vice chancellor Francis Aduol said about 400 students undertaking diploma to 5 year Bachelors degree programme in aviation engineering will benefit.
"We have about 150 students taking Bachellors in engineering, 120 undertaking Diploma, 120 under Bachelor in technology program and we intend to introduce the Masters programme and PhD," he said.
KQ to invest heavily in training of engineers
