The SCEE Project initiated a graduate engineers’ internship program - 2023 to contribute to lowering the rate of fatalities related to accidents and injuries in the construction sector. In-order to ensure safety and sustainability at all phases of engineering construction projects (design, planning, installation, operation, and maintenance), a well-trained and innovative engineering work force with relevant skills and adequate safety knowledge is needed. The internship training program aimed to support upskilling of fresh engineering graduates to become safety champions in their workplaces. On successful application for the Call for Internship Opportunity and having met the recruiting requirements, Ten (10) graduate interns were selected from various higher education institutions to undertake the internship program for duration of eight (8) weeks. Four (4) interns were posted to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) - Mombasa, Four (4) others were posted to Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) - Makueni while Two (2) were posted to Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral - Eldoret.
The graduate interns on site were assessed on their knowledge, skills, attitudes and habits to enable them to carry out their duties in the construction industry in a safe manner to prevent occurrences of unsafe operations and accidents in construction projects protecting the other construction workers, users, the public and the environment.
The program had a great impact on the graduates who acknowledged that they had learnt from the first-hand experience from the exposure to construction site and issues of safety.
That the Universities should consider including a core course on Safety in all the technical courses.
Engineer Graduate Interns, SCEE Project Team and KPA Staff during the assessment exercise at one of the Workshops at the Main Terminal Workshop - Kenya Ports Authority, Mombasa