Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) has said successful implementation of key economic plans by the government will be pegged on availability of professional engineering services in the country.
According to the board, the country is experiencing massive boom in construction and infrastructure while at the same time facing a shortage of engineering skills.
During the upcoming 4th Engineering Partnerships Convention which kick-off Wednesday, the board will seek to explore mechanisms that will help will build not only the numbers of engineers in the various sectors but also the capacity and skills of the engineers.
“Successful implementation of Kenya Kwanza Manifesto, Kenya Vision 2030, AU Agenda 2063, and Sustainable Development Goals will call for a considerable shift in the manner in which Kenya deploys and employs her resources to acquire the necessary capacity,” said EBK.
EBK says engineering capability is critical to driving national, regional, continental, and global development agendas hence the need to ensure per capital number of engineering professional in Africa, which is among the lowest in the world, is enhanced.
“There is, therefore, a need to develop the Kenyan engineering value chain to build Kenya’s engineering capability as a catalyst for social-economic transformation thereby creating a high quality of life for our citizens,” added the board.
During the three-day convention, discussions will cover four pillars including engineering and economic development which tackle digital transformation and opportunities for engineering services, innovative financing for infrastructure projects, agricultural transformation and inclusive growth and accessible and adequate housing.
The second pillar of discussion will look at developing the engineering capabilities through supply and demand of engineers, role of universities in acceding to the Washington Accord and engineering research and academia.
The fourth pillar will tackle liberalization of professional engineering services in the East African Community (EAC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA) through continental performance of the implementation of Agenda 2063, building local, regional and global competitiveness in liberalized markets and enhancing the mobility of engineers under the EAC Mutual Recognition Agreement.
Under the fourth pillar, EBK intends to hold discussion on how to addressing the legal, regulatory, and operational gaps for safe, efficient, and effective infrastructure.
Delegates will explore ways of building engineering technical capacity in national and county governments, implementation of Scale of Fees for Professional Engineering Services (SCOF 2022) and how to strengthening the regulatory and institutional frameworks.
The three day event which will be held from 14th to 16th June in Nakuru County will be graced by President William Ruto, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen among other high ranking government officials.
