Monday, October 31, 2011

What are your greatest strengths?

The job market in Kenya is really competitive. One has to put the best foot forward in order to get the coveted job.
For any one position, there are going to be thousands of applications. So, how then does someone make sure that they are selected for the job? The interview process is one of the most rigorous process in staff selection. One of the most common questions that is asked by employers and recruiters is “What is your greatest strength?”
TRAPS: This question seems like a softball lob, but be prepared. You don't want to come across as egotistical or arrogant. Neither is this a time to be humble.
BEST ANSWER: You know that your key strategy is to first uncover your interviewer's greatest wants and needs before you answer questions. And from Question 1, you know how to do this.
Prior to any interview, you should have a list mentally prepared of your greatest strengths. You should also have, a specific example or two, which illustrates each strength, an example chosen from your most recent and most impressive achievements.
You should, have this list of your greatest strengths and corresponding examples from your achievements so well committed to memory that you can recite them cold after being shaken awake at 2:30AM.
Then, once you uncover your interviewer's greatest wants and needs, you can choose those achievements from your list that best match up.
As a general guideline, the 10 most desirable traits that all employers love to see in their employees are:
1. A proven track record as an achiever...especially if your achievements match up with the employer's greatest wants and needs.
2. Intelligence...management "savvy".
3. Honesty...integrity...a decent human being.
4. Good fit with corporate culture...someone to feel comfortable with...a team player who meshes well with interviewer's team.
5. Likeability...positive attitude...sense of humor.
6. Good communication skills.
7. Dedication...willingness to walk the extra mile to achieve excellence.
8. Definiteness of purpose...clear goals.
9. Enthusiasm...high level of motivation.
10. Confident...healthy...a leader.

The above rules are of course not the rule in themselves but they provide a general guideline. It would be suicidal to cram word for word answers below and then regurgitate them to the employer.


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

KENYAN CAREER EBOOK :EXPLORE YOUR HEIGHTS; BE EMPOWERED.

KENYAN CAREER EBOOK :EXPLORE YOUR HEIGHTS; BE EMPOWERED.
Graduation gown
 This is a career ebook that is dedicated to all Kenyans. In particular, prospective applicants to Universities and colleges, high school students, Parents and career coaches, and HR Professionals will find the ebook useful. The ebook has three chapters, chapter one is answers to frequently asked questions, questions that many readers of my two blogs, Kenyans Campus Blog and www.kenya.47.com asked. The answers are elaborate and are particularly geared to the Kenyan education and job market environment.

Chapter two of the ebook explains about forty courses in detail, and at the end, the reader will have a deep knowledge of many careers, and in turn, he/she will make an informed choice of their career. It is worth noting that many students do not know which careers to select, and instead rely on peer pressure, pressure from parents or societal pressure. Rarely do students ever consider their unique strengths and weaknesses, their personalities, their abilities and talents. In reading through the ebook, I hope the reader will have a firm knowledge of the many careers available in the Kenyan job market.

Chapter three deals with application to US and UK Universities. As many students are enrolling in the US and UK Universities, they will need information on how to get scholarships to US and UK Universities.

Finally, the last chapter is on how one can get scholarships to several Universities, both in Kenya and abroad.  A number of scholarships are listed.

And finally, I wish to thank God, my family members, my friends, the readers of my two blogs, www.kenya47.com and www.kenyancampos.blogspot.com (Kenyan Campus blog) for their continued support. Without you, this ebook wouldn’t have been possible. 

Ahsante Sana
C.O.O Mabinda
Author of the Kenyan career ebook and Editor
Kenyan Campus Blog and www.kenya47.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON CAREER                                           3




                                                                                               
CHAPTER TWO
COURSES EXPLANATION AND WHERE ONE CAN WORK              43







CHAPTR THREE
APPLYING TO UNIVERSITIES ABROAD                                                           74




CHAPTER FOUR
SCHOLARSHIPS                                                                                                79. 

KENYAN CAREER EBOOK :EXPLORE YOUR HEIGHTS; BE EMPOWERED.       
For enquiries call 0725026264
At just kshs.150, get your 82 page ebook.    
Payment by MPESA to 0725026264                                                     

Monday, October 24, 2011

When 'innocents' tempt the teacher

This is a part of an article that appeared on the Standard of Monday 24th October.
JOSEPH MUCHIRI lifts the lid on cheeky schoolgirls who employ every trick in the book to ensnare young male teachers into illicit love affairs.
News that the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) has launched a database to keep child pests away from schools will rightfully frighten male teachers who can’t zip it up.
But what is not often said is that in some cases, girls, especially in secondary schools, are never innocent victims but scheming operatives who do anything to entrap the young, male teachers of their dreams.
"Teaching at a girls’ school is highly tempting. It is only through a lot of discipline that I desist from engaging in illicit affairs with these girls," reveals Mwangi*, a teacher in Murang’a town.
Mwangi says that smartly dressed and handsome youthful teachers with flashy mobile phones or a laptops have to counter desperate attention seeking teenage students out to befriend them.
"In fact, some teachers caught up in embarrassing relationships with students are not necessarily the ones who initiated them.
"They are just unfortunate victims of circumstances, which they failed to tame early," explains Mwangi. The principal of a private girls’ secondary school in Karatina town always gives this stern warning to young male teachers on the day they first report for duty:
"In your stay here, and in your interaction with the students, you are guilty before the eyes of the society unless you prove yourself innocent through your conduct."
Read more »

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Do interviews really bring out the best in a candidate?

Many job seekers dread interviews since it usually brings out the worst in them, save for the brave hearted.
In fact, sometimes, interviews tend to favor those who act the best. With a little internet research, one can get the answers of the most common questions asked during interviews. This mans that any person can readily go to the internet, grab cram the right answers and pour it out to the interviewers. Research shows that just about half of successful interviews do not live up to the expectations that the job demands. This requires very insightful interviewers to rally unearth the best candidates for the job.

Already, some top Kenyan recruiters have moved away from the traditional interview, and now engage the interviewee in more of a conversation, than an interview. In fact, some employers, such as the big auditing companies of PWC, Deloitte, Ernst&Young and KPMG engage the interviewee over a cup of coffee. To the uninitiated, they might actually not know that the interview is ongoing as they engage in a cup of coffee. Hopefully, other Kenyan employers will follow the same trend.


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Why do bright students shun the Arts courses?

Many more bright students choose to do the science courses than the arts courses.
One of the reasons for such choices amongst the students is the societal expectation. Many an A student are told to pursue the hard courses such as medicine and engineering. It doesn’t matter that the student’s talents could be in an art discipline. True, the bills must be paid, but it does help if one pursues a career in which they have genuine passion and interest in.

At the moment, one will find engineers that wish they would have been lawyers, lawyers who wish they would have been teachers and so. One of the reasons why such a situation occurs is that many students are not simply aware of the course that they are going to study and find out too late that they are not a good fit for the particular course.

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Sunday, October 16, 2011

Do supervisors really play their role?

Every workplace has some kind of hierarchy, which a clear separation of roles and responsibilities.
In any company, the new employees or interns are expected to be shown round the organization by a more experienced person. However, does this really occur in a normal office set up? Is this really what happens?
In too many workplaces, the supervisors will leave the juniors to carry out all the activities on their own. This can be quite confusing especially in the first days. Organizations that have supervisors who act as mentors really do reap a lot in improved work performance etc.    

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Friday, October 14, 2011

Is teaching really a rewarding career?

All professionals, politicians and leaders have passed through the hands of teachers.
But how comes that few teachers ever encourage their star students to choose the teaching profession as a career. Many brilliant students would be happy to choose careers such as medicine, law and engineering, as they are deemed as prestigious and tough. This is largely in line with the society’s expectations.

Whereas teaching attracted many stellar students in the 60s to 80s, the trend seemed to change into the 90s up to now. First among the grievances of many teachers was the low pay of the profession. However, their salaries have somewhat increased over the years, and in fact, Bachelor of Education is one of the most popular courses that self sponsored students would like to enroll in, may be also because they are sure that they are guaranteed of work some time in the future.

The other issue is the lack of a clear professional growth pattern. As most teachers are civil servants, the promotion is based on a combination of experience and talent, whereas in the private sector the promotion is based on talent and performance only.


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Monday, October 10, 2011

Do KCSE candidates really know which career is best for them?

This is the time of the year when students are nervous.
The KNEC national exams, KCSE and KCPE are just a few weeks away and the students are doing their last preparations before they can tackle the all important exams. The exams will open and shut doors for many, depending on how the students will perform. A few students that excel in KCSE will get their dream course, while a lucky few will get scholarships to study outside the country. The rest of the students will either join the parallel degree programs, or join the middle level colleges.

It is true that many of the KCSE candidates will choose courses that are deemed prestigious. Few students, if any, ever choose courses due to their personality traits and talents. The societal pressure is such that the brightest of the students will choose such courses as Law, medicine, engineering and business courses. However, it need not be so. Some of the students are definitely talented more in the Arts than in the Sciences, and it would seem appropriate for them to select the courses. It is also true that many of the KCSE candidates have no idea about the course they are selecting. In effect, some universities elsewhere in the world allow the students to select a variety of units in their First Year in campus so that the students discover where their talents are. This way, the students will have a much wider knowledge of the courses they are about to select.  Alternatively, the universities would have allowed the students to major in dual degree so that they may then practice whichever course they deem necessary.

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Sunday, October 9, 2011

Networking-Why it helps in securing jobs.

Those that have attended career and job fairs have often heard of the importance of networking.
Career and HR specialist often remark that far more jobs are gotten through networking than searching through online and newspaper job adverts. In the UK for example, some MPs lamented that students from privileged backgrounds got better internships simply because of their superior networks.

In Kenya, most of the times, you will hear of a person who got a job through a friend of a friend who knew about the job vacancy. Rarely will one hear of a person who got a job through formal advertisement in the newspapers. In fact, some companies advertise jobs merely for formality sake, as the jobs already have a name to them. What then is the best way to network so that one is in a better position to get a lucrative job? The important thing is that you identify alumni from your University, friends even family members in the profession you are in. Even the church, bars and other social places are good places to network. I know using family members or a relative to network has already a negative connotation to it, as one will be accused of nepotism. But frankly, if you are qualified and a relative tells you of an opening in a place, wouldn’t you be glad to apply for the job?

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Friday, October 7, 2011

Do postgraduate degrees in Kenya take unnecessarily long time?

These days, many people are pursuing postgraduate degrees in order to enhance there professional and career growth.
With many jobs these days requiring at least a bachelor’s degree, those with masters degree seem to be naturally advantaged. Even as the number of postgraduate degrees continues to increase, it appears that some courses take longer than the estimated time to complete the course. Save for business courses, where there are many self sponsored courses, many other courses take a longer time. Courses hard hit are in the science and engineering domain.

Some students cite the frustration from lecturers as the sole reason why they take a long time. A course that was supposed to take two years to complete ends up taking about four or five years. While it is true that some courses do take much longer time due to unavailability of lecturers, some lecturers are simply out to frustrate the students. Equally, the lecturers also accuse the students of not paying enough attention to their studies, especially as some of the students pursue their studies even as they are full time workers.
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Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Can one balance side jobs with a regular job?

If you are an average Kenyan employee, you will have your regular job and then a side job to help increase one’s income.
Many people open such side jobs as a kiosk, MPESA shop, vegetable and grocery shops amongst other side businesses. But is it really possible to balance between a side job and a regular job?

Any average job is already difficult as it is, one arrives home when he is tired, and the brain is usually switched off. Now, expecting that person to switch the gears and oversee the side business for a few more hours is actually a very heinous task. So, in the end, both the business and the regular job suffer, as one doesn’t give each of them enough attention. Even if one seeks additional help, such as a spouse, still no one would have run the side job as effectively as you would have. Such side businesses as hotels and restaurants especially need constant supervision, or else they will collapse too fast. 
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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Do Kenyan business schools really equip one with the necessary workplace skills?

These days, almost every middle level professional is signing up for an advanced degree.
Whereas there are many Kenyans that are enrolling in Arts and science programs, the most popular programs are in business school. To cash on this demand, almost every Kenyan University has started offering a masters program in business. Some have even carved a niche in the executive Masters Business program.

The most widespread masters business program is the Masters in Business Administration (MBA). Part of the attraction of such a program is that any professional can enroll in the program, and one can set their own timetable depending on how busy they are or how much money they have. However, even though the MBA program is very widespread, one really has to ask whether the program inculcates in one skills that are really essential in success in the corporate field. Does it really replace other skills such as flare, strategic judgment and gut instincts which are essential traits needed for one to succeed in business. Can business schools really teach such skills? Alternatively, are the graduates simply enrolling for the courses so that there credentials are in deed improved?
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Sunday, October 2, 2011

Do attachments and internships really open career doors?

In many undergraduate courses, one is required to go for attachment and internship during their third or fourth year.
Many Human Resource and career coaching professionals have advised university and college students to take the internships seriously as they could open important career doors. Tellingly, many students do get their first jobs in companies and firms where they had done their internship.

So, what exactly can one do to stand out during their internship? Number one, one should ask for projects where they can at least be in charge or be able to input their skills adequately. This might sound ridiculous, but most students do only the routine jobs during internships. They do such jobs as buying newspapers and airtime for the boss. In our country, few companies would really give you an opportunity to do a demanding project.

You should network with our bosses, your colleagues and supervisors, as they are the ones who will inform you of openings in the company or other companies within the industry.
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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Do good grades really matter when looking for the first job?

When looking for the first job, one can be sure that grades are going to play an important role in the hiring process.
In fact, for some companies, too many Cs and Ds is an automatic disqualification for the job. Such auditing companies as Pricewaterhousecoopers (PWC), Deloitte, Ernst&Young, and KPMG always insist on strong grades. In fact, a majority of those hired by these companies either scored a First Class Honors or a strong Second Class Honors Upper Division. In newspaper adverts, many insist on one scoring at least a second class honors Upper division.

So, why do employers love good grades? One of the reasons is that a good grade indicates that you are hardworking. With hardly any experience, employers are left to rely on grades as their gauge for your hard work. It is fair to say that someone that is really hardworking in campus will manage to get a fairly decent grade.

Secondly, good grades indicate that you are bright and learn things fast. Many employers want to hire you, train you for the minimal amount of time and begin assigning you tasks immediately. A strong grade shows that you can learn the essential skills fast and perform the tasks adequately.

Thirdly, grades act as a screening tool for the employers. Many average employers do receive thousands of applications for a simple job vacancy. With no alternative elimination strategy, grades become the most common denominator to select those that will advance to the next stage of the interview and eventually be hired.

Of course, many HR practitioners will tell you that excellent grades are not in way a measure of how a potential recruit will perform in the workplace. After a few years, grades cease to matter as the job skills become more appropriate and those who got lower grades have a chance of catching up with those who scored high grades upon graduation.
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Sunday, September 25, 2011

8 questions to ponder as you select the best company to work for.

Every year, Kenyans get to know which companies are ranked the best in various categories.
The Company of the Year awards (COYA), seeks to celebrate the best company in each industry, and an example that others in the field could emulate. While the awards have produced surprises here and there, the same companies seem to dominate here and there. Some of the companies that have made it to the top list in the past include Bamburi, Bidco, Nation Media Group, Safaricom, Airtel, General Motors amongst other companies. Below is a list of factors that could guide you as select who your next employer should be.

1. Does the company offer opportunities for career progression e.g. promotions?
2. Does the company enable you to develop personally? (Personally development).
3. Is the work environment conducive, free of stress?
4. Are the employees empowered to make major decisions?
5. Do employees get enough time to rest and avoid burnout?
6. Are women and other under represented groups in major decision making positions?
7. Is the salary enough, is it in accordance with the market trends?
8. Does the company offer leaves, maternity leaves, children pickup from school and other recreational facilities?
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Saturday, September 24, 2011

5 Must haves for career Progression.

Many young professionals routinely wonder what it takes to rise fast in their careers, and to get to the top.
While there is no straight path to get to the top, there are some avenues that can help one get to the top quickly.

1. Deep knowledge in your field.
Having deep knowledge in your field will make you every indispensable. If you are talented, you can easily hop from one job to the other, as your skills will be high in demand.

2. Some financial skills.
At the heart of every company is the need to make money and profits. The company wouldn’t exist if it didn’t churn out profits. That’s why many professionals are enrolling for extra classes in Finance or MBA, so as to get that extra edge in the corporate rat race. Even if you are working in a non profit field or for an NGO, you will still need the financial literacy skills.

3. Creativity and innovation.
Innovation I the buzzword these days, and the ability to solve problems within your company or organization will make you be relied upon and indispensable.

4.Team player and other soft skills
It is no longer just enough to possess only the technical skills. You will also need the soft skills to advance. For instance, you could be the most talented computer programmer but if you don’t know how to work with people, then you might not go very far. Other soft skills that one should work on includes presentation and other communication skills.

5. Leadership/analytical and problem solving skills.
You will need great leadership skills to excel, perhaps, a leader encompasses all the above traits and inspires trust and confidence in whoever he/she is leading.


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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Should one choose pay over experience?

The competition for jobs has gotten increasingly tight and many Kenyans consider themselves lucky if they can hold on to just one job alone.
Others are plain lucky and manage to hop from one job to another with relative ease. At the top of most people’s mind as they look for a new job is the pay. The higher the pay, the more likely a person is to choose that job. There are however certain times when taking a job merely because of the pay can prove to be risky.

Take for example taking a job outside your profession. Even though the job might be high paying and very lucrative in every sense, it may not enable you to gain additional skills in your area of training. While there are some people who would definitely want to change careers for whatever reasons, many would want to stay in the careers that they trained in. For instance, a number of engineers take up high paying jobs in banks, auditing firms and other finance firms. Does this add any skills to their engineering expertise? I bet not. So, unless they gain additional papers and skills in the new finance field, they may be disadvantaged in both professions.

To many people, pay is the ultimate king, which is a given fact. After all, we all need to pay bills and cash is king. However, if the pay comes at the expense of acquiring more skills that can help in the career and professional progression, then you might want to consider if the high pay is worth it.


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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

What makes a great CV?

The curriculum Vitae (CV), is one of the most essential tools that can help one land the job.
Some people use the word CV and resume interchangeably, so that shouldn’t confuse someone at all. At it’s heart, the CV is a great marketing tool, helping a potential job applicant to get short listed for the interview and hopefully be recruited by the employer. So, in essence, your CV should ac as your promoter and your personal brand.

With thousands of CVs to go through, potential employers do not have much time to scan one’s CV. A quick glance for important facts is all it takes for your CV to be either accepted for consideration, or to be thrown into the dustbin, or to receive a regret letter/email. So, at most, many Human resource personnel just give your CV one minute tops. If it fails to impress them during this duration, then too bad, one will not be considered for the job.

So, quite literally, the most important information should appear on page one. If the first page does not make a great impression, few would be bothered to read on. However if the first page makes a great impression, this prods the recruiter to go into the inner pages, so as to get to know you better.

If possible, one should elaborate on the accomplishments with action words e.g. started, founded, changed, achieved etc. The accomplishments should be in quantifiable terms if necessary. This is because; it makes it easier to compare figures or percentages. E.g increased sales in my department is very vague, one would rather say, under my leadership as the sales manager, the department realized a 100% rise in sales over the previous two years, from kshs.1 million to kshs.2 million.

Keep the CV short, in many cases, a 2 to 3 page CV is enough, unless one is applying for middle or senior management positions, where the depth of the CV will be more, in tandem with the position applied for.


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Monday, September 19, 2011

Do MBAs make great managers?

These days, every young ambitious professional is seeking to enroll in a masters program so that he/she increases the chances of rising up the corporate ladder.
To be sure, there is a cut-throat competition and only the most competitive are able to get ahead in the murky corporate world.

The most popular post graduate course is the Masters of Business Administration (MBA). Nearly every
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Sunday, September 18, 2011

First year- A make or break year

When First year students enter campus, one doesn’t help but notice the innocent looking faces of the Freshers.
During the first few weeks, some students will be talking about the big schools, the Alliances, the Starehes, and others, but such students soon realize that even though you might be admitted twenty of you from the same school to the same faculty, at the end of the day, it’s everybody for himself/herself. Soon, everyone develops their own unique interests and pursuits. There is also the walk round campus, which some students will find to be very confusing.

Soon, the first CATs are given, and everyone forgets about the clean As they had in KCSE, it’s now another battle altogether. Some students manage to hold onto the excellent grades, some drift to average grades while others start posting poor grades, and wonder where they brilliant brain might have gone too.

The first year female students are the most in demand, as second, third and fourth year students rush to get a share of the new girls in town, and dump their usual girlfriends. This rush, which many Universities call “Gold Rush”, leads to many relationship breakups in campus. And then there is the signing up in various clubs, societies and organizations. The CU, the SDA, the Catholic, Rotaract, Muslim students, environmental club, all those clubs constantly need new members to ensure continuity and First year students are routinely hunted to join them.

And then some weeks later, some First year students will be introduced in student politics. The rough and tumble of the student politics in every way resembles the national politics. The mudslinging, the horse trading of votes, the violent tactics used to campaign, the glamour acts as a good breeding ground for future politicians.  And soon, the First year students will join in the culture of the University, and soon it will be time for them to usher in another set of First year students, and the cycle will start all over again.


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Saturday, September 17, 2011

Is it time for technology revolution in Kenya?

The June 2011 issue in the Time magazine had an article on the technology revolution currently taking place in the country, and the article was titled “Silicon savanna” revolution in Kenya.
Silicon, is an adaptation of the famous Silicon Valley in California, known to be the heart of the internet and digital revolution in the world.
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Friday, September 16, 2011

Career Information Via SMS

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Thursday, September 15, 2011

Kenyan universities and the real job market-Is there a disconnect between them?

There are many Universities that are springing up left right and center.
To be sure, the number of form four graduates is increasing by the day, and so the demand for colleges and Universities is at an all time high. Many jobs now require that an applicant possesses at least a bachelors degree.

However, some employers have expressed reservations on the link between the quality of the curriculum in the universities and whether it really prepares one for the practical on the job skills in the field. To this end, such Universities are opting to train fresh graduates round the various departments of the company and then posting them to the relevant fields. It would appear that the universities would have produced better equipped graduates if they collaborated with corporate companies to prepare the curriculum.


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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

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Which are the best Kenyan careers to pursue?

Many young Kenyans routinely ask how which careers they should pursue in order to get the most satisfying life and a lucrative job.
Previously, all one needed to have is possess a University degree and they would be guaranteed of a job. However, this is not the case anymore.

Even with a degree these days, it is becoming harder for fresh graduates and experienced professionals alike to secure jobs. To be sure, there is no right or wrong career to pursue. One only needs to consider their talents and whether they will excel in that profession. It is also important that one does well in their chosen profession and excels in it, then; they can use that as a stepping stone to secure a more lucrative job. These days, many companies are hiring graduates from a variety of courses, as graduate management trainees, and then post them to the relevant jobs.


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Monday, September 12, 2011

Too many graduates working in professions they did not train for- Is it bad?

These days, it appears that the profession you train for is not what you will automatically work in.
These days, there are biologists working in banks, engineers working as marketers, teachers working as human resource professionals etc. So, is it really bad if one gets a job outside their profession?

In a country where one is lucky to get a job, the advice that most job seekers are given is that they should take whichever job comes along. With the spiraling unemployment in the country, where else does one think that they can get a job? Bills such as rent, food, transport are to be taken care of. As soon as one wears that graduation gown and the graduation party is over, reality sinks in and one discovers that they have to stand on their own two feet. The parents will in most cases be reluctant to give you any money, having already spent a huge fortune on your education.

Whilst the there is no harm in taking the first job outside your profession, care should be taken so as not to lose sight of what you really wanted to achieve professionally. It’s also very hard to grow professionally if one doesn’t have the requisite papers in that discipline. It is also understandable that some people want to do what they love, what they have a passion for. Many people do courses that do not fully utilize their real talents and skills. It is for this reason that some companies have began the graduate management recruitment, where graduates are rotated through the various aspects of the business. They will then be posted to areas where there real skills and talents are.



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Friday, September 9, 2011

What should motivate someone to choose a career?

So, what should ideally motivate one to choose one career over the other?
Since one will spend most of his/her adult life working, choosing the right career is one of life’s most important decisions. True, the society
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Thursday, September 8, 2011

Why the rush for post graduate degrees?

The number of students seeking postgraduate degrees has been increasing by the day.
The most popular postgraduate degree seems to be the masters in Business Administration (MBA). Besides the academic certificates, many young Kenyans are also
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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

What’s the difference between BSC in engineering, BTech in engineering, BEng in Engineering?

Some readers have asked about the difference between BSC in engineering, BTech in engineering, BEng in Engineering.
To be sure, the differences are not that much, especially when one looks at the Kenyan job market and is keen in working in the country. The differences are wide however in universities abroad.

A BSC in engineering, in the strict sense, prepares one for a career in research, and the level of theory is much more in depth. One will learn both the theoretical aspects as well as the practical aspects needed for the job. However, the primary aim of the course is to make one ingrained in the basic principles of a discipline. To a large extent therefore, a specialization in BSC Eng is more design and research oriented.

On the other hand a BTech or a BEng in engineering prepares one for a career in the field, in the professional aspects. The curriculum is much more devoted to the application of the theories to practical problems in the field. Equally, craft and other skills may also be incorporated, skills that are essential in the day to day performance of the job.

As I stated earlier, these differences are mainly in universities abroad. The job sector in countries abroad allows for such broad distinctions. However, when one considers the Kenyan job market, the market is basically the same, and the graduates of these fields end up working in the same places. For example, there is not much difference in the career prospects of a BTech or BEng mechanical engineering graduate from that of a BSC Mechanical engineering graduate.


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Monday, September 5, 2011

Beware:- Is your University course registered by professional bodies.

I received this email from a student of  Kisii University:


“Hello sir,i am a first year student who has been called to
join kisii campus to study law,but we have been told not to join campus till further notice because Lsk (Law society of Kenya) does not approve of that course being done,i wonder when the further notice will be but seriously this is very unfair,i suggest that if the campus is unable to reach any agreement with the Lsk we be transferred to other campuses and if that is not possible then jab should allow us
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Are national schools overrated?

The number of national schools in the country looks set to increase from the current 18 to over 50.


National schools are some of the oldest high schools in the country, with a rich history. Many of the national schools were founded during the colonial era. Some of the most prominent national schools include Alliance High
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Sunday, September 4, 2011

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural engineering- The course and where one can work.

Agricultural engineering, as the name suggests, is a course that mainly deals with the agricultural domain.
You will learn to design tools and equipment used in the agriculture sector, maintain machine, equipment and other tools used in the production of products and goods in a factory or a manufacturing set up. In a way, one will
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Diploma in Computer Science/IT/Computer engineering

As the demand in computer and information technology has increased, so too is the demand for professionals in these disciplines.
A diploma program in Computer science/IT/computer engineering should ideally take between one and two years. A diploma program in computer science /IT/Computer engineering can be
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Diploma in Business administration.

Business administration is one of the most popular courses in Kenya.
One will learn the important aspects of business such as accounting, finance, marketing, sales, human resources, insurance and cooperatives. There are so many colleges offering the diploma in Business Administration and the challenge is in identifying the
Read more »

Diploma in Journalism/Media studies

Journalism is one of the most coveted careers in Kenya.
The sheer opportunity to hob nob with high and mighty, celebrities, musicians, revered public figures makes many people dream of becoming journalists. There are also those who have an innate passion to inform the population of what is happening in the country/world.
Read more »

Diploma in Clinical medicine

Clinical medicine is a course that ordinarily takes between three and four years.
One will be trained in all the facets of medicine, and the graduates of the program (clinical officers) are meant to assist doctors to better treat patients. Clinical officers act as a useful bridge between doctors and nurses. A majority of clinical
Read more »

Diploma in Cosmetology/Cosmetics/beauty.

These days, the desire to look fresh, youthful and have a good public image has gripped Kenya and the world in general.
Many people nowadays invest lots of money in order to maintain a perfect image. Cosmetologists/beauty professionals are at the heart of this. The demand for such professionals is manifested
Read more »

Friday, September 2, 2011

Bachelor of Pharmacy- The course and where one can work.

Bachelor of Pharmacy is a course that is widely popular among high school students.
It is one of the most competitive courses, and the cut-off points for the course are among the highest. The weighted cluster points for the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree course has been hovering around 47. The individual cluster subjects for the course are Math or Physics, Biology, Chemistry and English or Kiswahili. To be assured of getting the course, one will need straight As in the above subjects as well as an overall grade of an A Plain or a very
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Bachelor Of Medicine and Surgery (MBCHB)- The course and where one can work.

The Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBCHB) degree is a six year course offered in a number of public Universities in Kenya.
Currently, the course is offered at University of Nairobi (UON), Moi University and Kenyatta University. Since the course is arguably one of the most competitive courses in the country, one needs near perfect scores in order to be admitted through the regular government program. One needs to score an overall grade A and get grade A in Math or Physics, A in Biology, A in Chemistry and A in English
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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural economics and Resource management- The course and where one can work.

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural economics and resource management is a course that is offered by a number of public Universities.
Some of the Universities that offer the course include Moi University and Egerton University. In a nutshell, one will study about economics and management, with a special application to agricultural disciplines. About 90% of the curriculum is similar to an economics and
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How long should one stay in one job?

These days, many young job seekers hop from one job to another fairly quickly.
The young professionals, also known as generation Y (born between 1979 and 1992), seem very reluctant to stay for a long time in one job. Whereas our parents stayed on one job and usually retired in the same company that the joined, this is not the trend anymore. In fact, to
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Bachelor of Science in Microbiology- The course and where you can work.

Bachelor of Science in Microbiology is a medical science degree course that trains one to be able to identify the causes of diseases and develop the prevention and cure of the diseases.
  The very nature of the course demands that one will need to work in laboratories most of the time. Some of the major employers of Micro Biology graduates include the public hospitals, Ministry of health, Kemri, other medical related NGOs, Community health NGOs and some private hospitals. The curse is offered in may Kenyan public and private Universities.


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