In a colorful event at the stadium of the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Institute (IPRC) of Kigali, 485 graduands from the various engineering departments of the college of technology; civil, mechanical, electrical and electronics, and Information and Communication Technology received their Advanced Diplomas ready to join the job market, seek and create employment.
The graduands were from various academic disciplines with 162 from construction technology, and 33 from environment management and water technology awarded Advanced Diplomas in Civil Engineering.
23 from biomedical equipment technology, 218 in electrical technology, 69 from electronics and telecommunication technology were awarded Advanced Diplomas in electrical and electronics engineering.
Advanced Diplomas in mechanical engineering accounted for 71, with graduands trained in automobile technology, air conditioning and refrigeration technology, and production and manufacturing technology.
The remaining 60 Advanced Diplomas were awarded to students trained in information and communication technology.
The 485 students join another 513 graduated last year in addition to many others who graduated in previous from the Advanced Diploma courses, and short course since the college came to force in 2008.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, state minister for Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) in the Ministry of Education Albert Nsengiyumva exhorted students and the college’s staff to focus on innovation and invention.
“The reason for government and the various development partners’ emphasis on TVET is because we believe and have seen it elsewhere that equipping people with hands on skills sparks industrial development.”
But as the minister explained, this path to amplify economic development that Rwanda has chosen requires both the staff and students colleges such as IPRC to combine innovativeness and an inventive spirit.
“As you acquire the hand on skills, we want your minds to be focused on curving solutions that address issues Rwandans face. Ours and thus your goal should be improving the living standards of everyone in Rwanda, and this you can only do by using your knowledge and skills to create.”
For the students, the opportunity presented by the knowledge and practical skills acquired from the college is enormous and are ready to harness this into tangible ways to advance their own lives and those of communities they come from.
This picture of competent hands on people is what Eng. Diogene Mulindahabi, the Principal of IPRC Kigali reiterated in his narrative to the graduands.
To get the academic qualifications as you have today means we have put our best in you. Though we want you to find work and gain more experience, we train you to be creators, so be it in your own companies or employment, you ultimate goal should be to create; new solutions to existing challenges and innovating existing ones,” Mulindahabi addressed the youthful gathering.
