by Christine Lagat
NAIROBI, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Kenya will soon implement a comprehensive training manual to boost competence of professionals in the booming construction sector, an official said on Monday.
Daniel Manduku, the CEO of National Construction Authority (NCA) said in a commentary published by the Star newspaper that the government will invest in quality training and mentorship to bridge skills gap in the construction industry.
"Skills gap has been identified as one of the causes of substandard construction, which has led to loss of lives and property. We are developing a curriculum to improve competence of construction workers and site supervisors," said Manduku.
Kenya has one of the most vibrant construction sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa which contributes an estimated 7 percent to the country's GDP.
Manduku noted the construction industry in Kenya was not affected by post election jitters and is set for a boom thanks to influx of foreign direct investments and Diaspora remittances.
He warned that unskilled labour, haphazard regulation, limited access to financing and graft could undermine growth of a sector that is key to realization of social and economic pillars anchored in Kenya's vision 2030.
The official was optimistic that rigorous training and adherence to a code of conduct would inject vitality in the construction and real estate sectors.
Manduku revealed the National Construction Authority has introduced a competence based curriculum for artisans to ensure they develop houses that meet globally recognized quality standards.
"We used accredited skilled construction workers and construction site supervisors as panelists to provide valuable insight into existing gaps in the current curriculum," said Manduku.
He added that the curriculum focus on regular assessment of technical prowess of different professional cadres in the construction industry.
"Other key attributes of competence based curriculum for construction workers include career counseling, certification and organizational development," Manduku said, adding that an apprenticeship program for both skilled and unskilled construction workers will be rolled out soon.
