When Eng. Wahome, a civil engineering, a senior trainer at the Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology (KIHBT) returned from a month-long attachment at a major road construction site, he brought back a new way of teaching. With practical examples drawn from real-world infrastructure projects, his students were more engaged, more curious, and better prepared for the demands of the engineering field.

Wahome’s experience reflects a broader transformation taking place at KIHBT thanks to the support from the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP). With funding from the World Bank and the Government of Kenya, EASTRIP is supporting TVET institutions in East Africa, such KIHBT to align technical training with industry realities, making education more practical, responsive, and regionally relevant.

“Engaging with ongoing industry projects has provided me with fresh insights that enable me to guide students in developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills competencies that are essential in today’s engineering sector,” says Eng. Wahome, a trainer at KIHBT.

The institute’s Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) has been instrumental in creating placement opportunities for students with organisations such as the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and several private sector contractors.

KIHBT Trainers and Students spend weeks or months embedded in live road projects, where they gain hands-on experience in surveying, construction supervision, materials testing, and safety protocols. They return to the classroomwith the confidence that comes from applying theory in practice.

KIHBT staff who have participated in short-term industry attachments say the experience has helped them upgrade their skills and improve how they deliver lessons. They are now able to incorporate current technologies, methodologies, and site challenges into their teaching, making it more relevant to today’s engineering and construction needs.

“Industry attachments are helping us produce graduates who can meet the requirements of the labour market,” said the Ag. Director KIHBT Arch. Geoffrey Githiri. “It’s a win for the students, for employers, and for the country,” he said.

The experience through industrial attachments has deepened KIHBT’s technical expertise and enhanced its reputation as a leading regional flagship TVET institute in highways technology.

By Beatrice Njenga, Communication Specialist for EASTIP at Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology