Initiative to enable agriculture students get attachment unveiled

Students pursuing agriculture-related courses will now find it easier to get industrial attachment following a partnership involving colleges, curriculum developers and the private sector.

Under the initiative dubbed Innovative Academic Placement Solution (Inaps), students will now send their internship applications via www.inaps.co.ke.

Emma Njiru, the executive director of Inaps, said that they are currently providing slots for 3,000 interns. Through the platform, organisations and companies in the agricultural sector will be able to select the interns. The application is open until end of August.

She said there is a huge disconnect between classwork and employment which makes internship quite necessary for youths ahead of employment.

Prof Samwel Wachanga, the deputy vice-chancellor in charge of administration at Egerton University, noted that there are over 100,000 students in the country currently looking for attachment, against very limited available spaces.

He said together with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development and Technical Vocational Education and Training Institutions, universities and colleges are developing a manual to support training of interns.

Dr Mwenda Mbaka, former Kenya Veterinary Board chairman, said that so long as the expertise of students is not developed to meet the demand of the industry, then the country cannot meet its development agenda or create employment.

BY-Leopold Obi