For most job seekers in Kenya, finding a well paying job is their goal. Some professions such as engineering tend to be a better paying option than some other professions.
Aeronautical Engineering has become really demanding as well as challenging. However, a career in Aeronautical Engineering is very marketable and rewarding.
Aeronautical Engineering is one of the two major branches of Aerospace Engineering, with the other being Astronautical Engineering, and it involves the designing of aircrafts as well as their propulsion systems. Aeronautical engineering also involves the studying of the aerodynamic performance and construction materials of aircrafts.
To become an Aeronautical Engineer, the following set of skills must be acquired. They are:
- Problem-solving skills – Providing solutions to issues concerning aircrafts is essential in order to improve the efficiency of aircraft systems.
- Critical thinking – With regards to the design aspect of Aeronautical Engineering, creative minds are key in this profession.
- Analytical skills – Being able to identify issues or faults in aircraft systems is fundamental for the study of the course in order for projects to be top notch and meet specific requirements.
- Business skills – As well as every other profession, knowledge in business concepts is essential in Aeronautical Engineering.
In Kenya, there are very few institutions that offer a diploma or a degree in Aeronautical Engineering with specific requirements expected to be met to qualify for the course. Out of these institutions, only two offer the course at degree level which are Technical University of Kenya and Kenya Aeronautical College.
Is Aeronautical Engineering Marketable in Kenya?
As a very demanding course, Aeronautical Engineering sure is marketable in Kenya, especially where there are few institutions that offer the course but a large range of opportunities for Aeronautical Engineering graduates.
There are a lot of opportunities both home and abroad for people who study Aeronautical Engineering at diploma or degree level.
The Kenyan government also has opportunities for graduates in companies such as the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), Kenya Airways, Kenya Airforce, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, KETRA-CO, Ministry of Environment and so on.
For such a rare course of study in Kenya, Aeronautical Engineering is granted with an abundance of opportunities.
Aeronautical Engineering Salary in Kenya
The starting salary for Aeronautical Engineering jobs in Kenya is from Ksh 77,000 to Ksh 157,000 with most Aeronautical Engineers in Kenya earning an average of Ksh 110,000.
The highest paying Aeronautical Engineering jobs in Kenya are Ksh 233,000 at Kenya Airways and Ksh 230,000 at Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
Outside the country of Kenya, graduates of Aeronautical Engineering can get jobs that pay from 17,000 USD to 120,000 USD in countries like the United States of America, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Switzerland and so on.
The Cost of Studying Aeronautical Engineering in Kenya
The tuition fee for Aeronautical Engineering at degree level in Kenya costs about Ksh 155,000 per year while the tuition for that of a diploma in the course is Ksh 57,000 per year.
At both levels the course is studied for a duration of two years.
Kenya Aeronautical College
Kenya Aeronautical College is one of the only two institutions in Kenya that offer Aeronautical Engineering courses at degree level and it is also the more preferred of the two institutions. That is, by the end of the course study, a person graduates as a Bachelor of Engineering in Aeronautical Engineering.
Kenya Aeronautical College also offers a diploma in Aeronautical Engineering.
The college is located at the Wilson Airport in Nairobi, Kenya.
In 2003, the Kenya Aeronautical College, also known as KAC, was established.
The institution offers the courses for a duration of two years with tuition fees that cost Ksh 57,000 and Ksh 155,000 for a diploma and a degree, respectively, in Aeronautical Engineering.
The college has three intakes in a year in the months of January, May and September.
At Kenya Aeronautical College, a diploma in Aeronautical Engineering is divided into two specialisations – Airframes/Engines and Avionics.
In addition to these as well as the bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering course are the Diploma in Cabin Crew, Piloting, Diploma in Flight Operation and Dispatch, Diploma in Air Cargo Management, Diploma in International Tours and Travel, Diploma in Airline Marketing, Flight Planning Officers Course in Meteorology and Certificate in Aircraft Maintenance courses.
The institution trains students at the Wilson Airport and then has them transferred, for further training, to the Shenyang Aerospace University in China.
