By Felix Wanderi
Thika Technical Training Institute is set to incorporate the auto-body building and welding course among its courses as the national government partners with the government of Germany through the Germany Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to sponsor its roll out.
Thika TTI is a centre of excellence in Automotive Technology and Mechanical engineering courses.
Speaking during the institution’s 8th Graduation ceremony at the college grounds, Principal Secretary for Vocational Training and Technical Education Dr. Margaret Mwakima said, the TTI was well placed for the roll-out of the new course.
“The institute is well versed with the motor vehicle industry and has set high standards in the sector which can be emulated by other TVET institutions,” said Dr. Mwakima.
The PS commended the institute for producing quality graduates in various technical fields and challenged the graduands to get into the employment market and demonstrate the skills they had acquired in school.
“The technical know-how and the expertise the graduands have acquired is for the good of the industry and society.
They are expected to utilize the applied knowledge to spur economic growth and solve problems in the society,” she said.
She lauded the government’s initiative through KUCCPS and HELB to allocate funds to trainees to support their education and welcomed the county governments for awarding bursaries to needy students.
‘I would also like to thank the various industries that offered industrial attachments and internships to the students,’ she said.
Chairman board of management Thika TTI Joseph Muguthu congratulated the Thika TTI administration for being innovative and ensuring a high completion rate despite challenges caused by covid-19.
” The institute saw the pandemic as an opportunity to strengthen Learning Management Systems and online distance and electronic learning programmes to sustain learning, ” he said Muguthu
He said the board of management has been focused on hardware and software development. On hardware the board has done over 80% of renovations of old buildings.
“Since 1949 the institution has never had a master plan to guide on infrastructure development but now we have one that will guide infrastructure development in the institution for the next 25 years,” said Muguthu
To cater for the escalating enrolment of students the administration has increased the number of lecture rooms and labs.
“This financial year the institute has experienced sharp increase in enrolment that has stretched her to the limits in terms of infrastructure, and staffing. We anticipate this will also be witnessed in coming years which requires strategic planning in accommodating the large number of trainees,” said Muguthu
On software development the board has embarked on rigorous retooling of all staff in the institute.
This will ensure that all members of staff have requisite professional skills, and attitudes to discharge their mandates.
The institute has also enhanced networks, partnerships and collaborations with the public and private sector.
The board is satisfied with bilateral relationship between Kenya and Germany and is committed to seeing successful implementation of the programme.
Hannah Mburu the institution’s principal said, due to covid-19 e-learning and online training has become more significant in the institution.
Mburu added that the TTI has tremendously improved its physical infrastructure from a few buildings to additional tuition blocks, laboratories, workshops, offices, reading sheds, a modern gate and the expansion of ICT infrastructure.
The institute has I creased their courses from 5 in 1949 when it started to over 800 courses presently.
Thika TTI has been assigned key responsibilities of mentoring upcoming technical and vocational colleges which include Muranga, Kiharu, Gichugu and Mwea.Muranga and Mwea colleges are fully operational while Kiharu and Gichugu colleges are 80 % completion.
Mburu said Thika TTI has experienced tremendous growth in enrolment with September intake alone realizing 4,621 new trainees which has increased the total enrolment to 11,744 students.
The Principal said this year the institute released 1,725 graduands into the job market and has produced numerous artisan, craft and diploma graduates.
She told the graduands that it is not the end of their academic training but rather a foundation to the next level of training as espoused in the KNQF (Kenya National Qualification Framework) pathway.
