The Female Engineering Sponsorship Programme

NITA sponsors 25 Kenyan female students from needy backgrounds annually to pursue engineering courses at craft, certificate and diploma levels in an effort to reduce gender disparity in technical/engineering disciplines as a part of its Corporate Social Investment. Through this affirmative action, this programme was started in 2006 and to date two hundred and twenty-five (225) Kenyan students have benefitted across the country.

Vision

The vision of the program is to enable Kenyan girls from poor backgrounds to a lead better life through active participation in engineering in industry.

Mission

To mobilize resources for a national initiative to address the needs of the disadvantaged girls by offering them an opportunity to study engineering.

Objective

The object of this program is to address the observed gender imbalance in engineering courses by supporting deserving and needy females to undertake engineering courses.

History of the Programme

The Female Engineering Training Programme (FETP) was started by the National Industrial Training Council (NITC) through the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) in August 2006. This was as a result of previous studies conducted by the Directorate which had revealed that there was a great disparity between females and males in various engineering careers in industry. The programme was then conceived out of a report and experience from an overseas study tour in 2005 to fifteen (15) countries. The first group of twenty-five (25) females was selected by the Directorate in November 2006 and enrolled in respective national Polytechnics and Technical Training Institutes in January 2007, a practice that has continued every year for the last 9 (nine) years and to date the programme has benefited two hundred and twenty-five (225) needy and qualified females in Kenya, with an additional 25 in the 2016 intake being sponsored.

Current Status of the Programme

The programme which is in its eleventh year is currently being implemented by the Directorate of Industrial Training and supervised by the Corporate Communications Department which has a Female Engineering Programme (FEP) Committee, which handles the technical and financial aspects of the programme. The programme currently focuses on marginalized areas which are; Mandera, Turkana, Lamu, Wajir, West Pokot, Kwale, Ijara, Tana River, Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu, Elgeyo - Marakwet, Suba, Kajiado, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Teso, Mt. Elgon, Kitui, Mwingi, Tharaka, Mbeere, Transmara, Makueni, Kuria and Marigat.

Objectives of the Programme

• To bridge the observed gap in engineering practice between female and males in various Kenyan industries.
• To identify qualified and needy females for the programme.
• To identify suitable technical institutions that offer courses selected by the qualified applicants.
• To ensure that the course requirements are adequately met.
• To ensure continuity of training for the beneficiaries during the duration of the course.
• To assist where possible in the attainment of gainful employment by creating avenues of collaboration between NITA and prospective employers on behalf of the beneficiaries. This is in line with the aspirations of the constitution on the rights to equal opportunities for both genders. The Vision 2030 also stipulates that women should have at least 30% representation in recruitment, selection and appointments.

Programme Implementation

The inaugural Committee that first selected the girls in the very first 2006 intake were appointed by the Director of Industrial Training to oversee the implementation of the programme. The Committee was comprised of people with the relevant competencies and experience necessary to manage the program along with the members of the implementation committee. It started its work by first developing a work plan to guide them, developed a code of conduct for the trainees, and later compiled a progress report of the program.

As part of its effort to improve support for the program, the committee conducted a quick study on female participation in engineering in Kenya. The findings of the study were used to compile a concept paper which highlighted the level of female participation in engineering which was found to be very low. Thereafter, the Council set up a Governance Committee known as Gender Mainstreaming Committee (GMC) whose role among other things was to oversee the implementation of the programme. 

In order to successfully select candidates for sponsorship into the program, the following stages are followed: 

1. Receiving applications and creation of an application database,
2. Drafting and placement of an advertisement in the local newspapers inviting interested female form four leavers.
3. Short-listing of applicants,
4. Invitation of shortlisted applicants for an interview.
5. Conducting interviews and carrying out initial selection from the list of interviewed applicants        
6. Carrying out fact-finding visits to homes of initially selected candidates to verify their neediness,
7. Receive and study reports of the fact-finding visits and apply the findings in carrying out a final selection of the candidates,
8. Application for admission of selected candidates to suitable Technical Training Institutions.
9. Invitation of the selected candidates to the NITA headquarters to have them taken through an induction programme,
10. Obtain medical clearance from a health institution for the candidates.
11. Issue of materials and books necessary for their respective courses to the selected candidates.
12. Assist the successful candidates to report to the Training Institutions and ensure that they are duly enrolled.

The sponsorship provisions include the following:

1. Tuition;
2. Accommodation;
3. Textbooks and stationery;
4. Training equipment (basic tools and drawing instruments);
5. Protective gear/clothing;
6. Transport to and from the training institutions during opening and closing;
7. Out of pocket allowance. 

The programme has received huge support from local companies who employ, attach and offer internships to the trainees. These companies, who have collaborations with the programme in one way or another reach out to support the beneficiaries by employing them on internship, attachment or permanent employment basis.

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