HACO Industries and University of Nairobi on Thursday signed an agreement on collaboration to advance the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as part of the company’s wider objective to bridge the gap between industry and academia in the country.
Speaking during the signing ceremony HACO Industries Managing Director, Mary-Ann Musangi said, “Our demographic divide as a country can either be an opportunity for economic progress or our greatest undoing.”
According to a recent study it is estimated that 50 per cent of the youth in Africa will be unemployed and economically inactive by 2025 and for a continent with a population of 65 per cent young people, this has led to the ongoing debate on whether Kenya is ready for the 4th Industrial revolution (4IR).
“It is beyond doubt that young people have a huge role to play in ushering in the new digital era, Kenya’s readiness for 4IR shouldn’t be the question, but rather a top agenda,” said Musangi.
The Chairman, Chemistry Department under the Science and Technology Faculty, at University of Nairobi Professor David Kariuki who represented the university echoed the sentiments and emphasized the institution’s enthusiasm to partner with local industries to create unique solutions to the country’s unemployment challenge.
“This is the first time that the University of Nairobi’s Chemistry Department has partnered with a local manufacturing company in this way,” he said. The partnership promises to yield valuable knowledge to boost the manufacturing sector’s competitiveness through joint research studies and publications.
Kariuki said it is heartening to see HACO industry taking a step towards bridging existing gaps between them and academia and building a robust talent pipeline that guarantees employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for young graduates.
The Collaboration Agreement focuses mainly on building a symbiotic relationship that will enhance the research and development capacities of both institutions, within the context of a highly dynamic and technological manufacturing sector.
Through the Agreement, HACO Industries will receive students and teaching staff for some durations, as well as provide input on curriculum development and short courses.
This initiative is part of the company’s sustainability agenda which focuses on education and skills development as a key pillar driving its business development plans for the next three years.
Consequently, HACO will step up its engagement with stakeholders in the Education sector, specifically TVET institutions to drive this agenda and open opportunities for more young people, especially women, to join the manufacturing sector.