Kenya is set to bridge the wide gap on shortage of skilled labour in the building and construction sector as more professionals graduate from the HF Foundation programme that seeks to create one million artisans. A total of 63 artisans have been awarded certificates after undergoing eight weeks competency-based training on masonry, electrical installation and tiling.
Of the 63 artisana, 25 were trained on electrical installation for six weeks, 20 on tiling and 19 on masonry. The new graduates now join thousands who have passed through the HF Foundation’s programme, ‘Army of 1 million artisans.
HF Group Managing Director Frank Ireri said the Foundation’s flagship project, focused on upgrading formal skills to thousands of artisans in the construction industry, will boost production of more quality buildings to the market.
“Over the last three years we have invested over Ksh100 million in facilitating technical and vocational skills for our artisans, significantly adding into the building and construction industry more resources to address quality issues and tame incidences of poor structures in the country,” said Ireri.
HF Foundation was awarded Vision 2030 flagship status in 2013 and has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education.
Last year, the Foundation entered into a partnership agreement with the Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions (KATTI) with a membership of over 48 technical institutions.
The trained artisans are walking into an industry whose growth trajectory has been on an upward trend with diverse opportunities. In 2015, the country witnessed a thriving construction industry registering a growth of 13.6 per cent, according to the Economic Survey 2016.
Training of the 63 artisans was done at the Group’s property and investment subsidiary HFDI’s multi-million shilling joint venture development – Richland Pointe site in Kamiti. Owing to its strategic position, the Group, which undertakes mega housing projects in the country through HFDI, also acts as a go-between for the artisans and employment opportunities.
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