THE Kenya Aeronautical College has partnered with the Shenyang Aerospace University in China to train aircraft manufacturing engineers to bridge the technical personnel gap in the aviation industry.

The partnership will allow students pursue a five-year bachelor degree in Aerospace Engineering at the Wilson Airport-based college and then proceed to Shenyang Aerospace University in China.

KAC director Samson Muliro says the degree programme seeks to create a pool of aircraft engineers skilled in assembling and installing new aircrafts as well as handling maintenance duties locally.

"China is a leading player in aircraft manufacturing and the partnership will provide students from the region greater exposure and opportunities to compete internationally," says Muliro.

He regretted the regional aviation industry has failed to keep pace with the fast changing technologies in the global aviation industry due inadequate aircraft manufacturing engineers.

"Lack of programmes in local training institutions and high cost of training abroad has made it difficult to develop aeronautical engineers who can deal with the increasing demands in the fast developing aviation industry," says Muliro.

It costs about Sh2 million per year to train an aircraft manufacturing engineer in Europe and America. In China, the cost is about Sh250, 000 per year.