Graduated in 2016. My observation so far is that the industry is infiltrated by quack masquerading as engineers. They undercut us in their quotations especially wale wanafanya contracting works. Clients usually go for them. However, I decided to take the consulting route coz hapa they are fewer IMO. Short term prospects are bleak but with time things look up for those who persevere (based on those I interact with). So far I’m working on my 7th project.
Entrepreneurship nliianza campo while doing the degree. This gave me a smooth transition after graduating, hence no need of a job as for now but nikipata ile inalipa vilivyo, I will take it .Bado ni mapema.
PS. There is a reason EEE cut off is the highest among all Eng disciplines (super close to med). Opportunities ni mingi, go through those 84 units na utapata hints of what to venture in. Usikonde.
Well damn! From the horse’s mouth! I’ve actually been freaking out about this whole employment thing nikiwa 3rd year(2017) after I realised that In kenya we aren’t being taught much in the way of practical skills and entrepreneurship. I really need to do something, my biggest fear right now is not being able to be independent and support myself and my family.
If you are serious about putting your engineering skill in good use start thinking about imigrating to the EU or Australia as soon you’re done with your bachelors. Ukifika huko enroll in a work-study program, chapa masters yako na ka side gig polepole for the next 3 to 5 years. Most probably they will absorb you in their workforce, and the perks ain’t bad given these are rich and developed nations
Otherwise Kenya utaozea huku. Basically hakuna engineering hufanyika huku, all we do is commision and maintain electrical systems. We dont even install/design them in the first place! Na juu ya hio i repeat, utalipwa kama punda tu for very many years.
The thing is, in our economy, if you are gonna be in employment, you should be in a large multinational. Thats where you can earn a decent wage and have opportunity for upwards mobility. Hii mambo being employed in a small company is dead end stuff. I know of people who begun in standard chartered bank in the nineties. Today they are doing very well for themselves having been promoted to the top echelons.
Tafuta class C then class B certification after you graduate. Unaweza pewa contract za wiring apartments/houses and such. With experience you can go for class A cert.
I know of a guy who did EEE and then a MSc in environmental science. He gets contracts to write environmental impact papers before a substation, for example, can be commissioned.
lol. Jab waliniita nifanye Eng. Halafu niko 5th year saa hii. Mzazi pia hawezi lipia course ingine saa hii (Mi ni 1st born out of 5).
Pengine nitafte Kazi in an unrelated field?
Those large multinationals are not worth the hype. Their foreign staff get perks but not the locals. My hubs works at a large company based in Europe, with several headquarters all over the world. Salo is around 120k. In this Nairobi surely, after taxes and deductions the take home pay iko chini. Side hustles can only rake in so much.
Good idea, but how many multinationals are there in Kenya? i bet i wouldnt run out of fingers trying to count them.
Then do u know many graduates exit school and enter the kenyan job market per year given there are more than 40 universities in the country? More than 20,000! Engineering graduates pekee there usually more than 1000 of that lot. Our class of 2014 had more than 100 graduands. And that was 5 years ago. OP darasa yenu ya 5th year iko na watu ngapi? Do the math and start seeing why the odds are stacked against u in Kenya.
That must be Moi Uni, JKUAT wako 150 saa hii, Uon will be more than 200, hujahesabu ata KU na MMUST na Egerton. Those are more 500 electrical graduates in one cohort, na bado kuna wa last year na next year pia. It is baad!
There is no useless engineering degree in Kenya. Avoid asking D+ material for advise and talk to people in engineering. My most well off former colleagues are engineers working in heavy and light current areas, kengen, geothermal, kenya power. Other EE guys are running safaricom and the other telecoms. Other guys are making data analytics, smart devices and artificial intelligence right here in Kenya
Yes, there is an artificial shortage of persons with tittle ‘ENG’ before their first name. The reason is very simple; EBK/ERB does not register the hundreds of new graduate engineers who are coming out of the system each year as professional engineers. This is unlike in other fields such as Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, dentistry etc.
The plum jobs/contracts are only reserved for professional fully-registered engineers. EBK/ERB will impose a set of strigent conditions for that such that by the time you tick all of them off you will be in your 50s or 60s. It is designed that way to keep us young guys out of the food chain for as long as possible.
Medicine! Specialize? 6 years of undergrad, 1 year internship, 2 years post internship and 4 years of specialization? Ndio nini? Med si jokes. I’d advice him against it. From the kettle into the fire. GoK is frustrating the healthcare industry in Kenya.
Mbona unabishana na hujui kile unasema. There’s no shortage of engineers, but there’s a shortage of skilled professional engineers. Our secondment and internship programs are wanting.
@mjuolsofdoom, ukimaliza make sure utafute internship preferably at a consulting firm, from there you can grow. Ukingoja job za gava utachoka sana.