With a population greater than that of any other continent, Africa has a considerable asset and a solid competitive advantage, according to the African Development Bank.
Equipped with education, skills and jobs, its youth is set to become the main driver of economic growth. Inclusive economic growth enables Africans to realise their full potential and embark on the road to prosperity.
Harnessing the individual potential of Africa’s human capital is the most sustainable key to economic transformation and social progress.
A country’s stock of human capital is predetermined when new technologies become available at the global frontier.
Human capital reduces the adoption lags of new technologies and increases the intensity of their use. According to the World Bank, transportation is quickly evolving, adapting, shaping and being shaped by global megatrends, promoting energy efficiency and environmental quality.
Transportation systems enable access to essential services and job opportunities and facilitate the production, trade and distribution of goods.
The transportation infrastructure and services that utilise it are vital to economic prosperity and social well-being, and sustainable and smart mobility is an essential enabler of poverty reduction and shared prosperity.
As technology adoption takes centre stage, the railways transport sector has not been left behind. The changing landscape of the railway transport industry poses significant human resource challenges.
For this reason, operators must develop knowledge transfer best practices to ensure that vital information and skills are retained within the industry.
Operations of the Standard Gauge Railway exemplify the role of human capital in transforming infrastructure development.
Afristar the SGR operator, has invested a lot of capital and human resources through training of local talent and skills transfer to make the operations efficient and successful.
To ensure seamless operations of the SGR, the workforce comprises technical, administrative and operational roles.
The company has employed thousands of Kenyans, working in various departments, ranging from locomotive operations, signalling, telecommunications and track maintenance.
This diverse workforce is a reflection of Afristar’s commitment to local capacity building. Notably, all areas of SGR functions, both technical and operational, require specialised training.
For instance, the locomotive driving and the train/station dispatcher roles that require efficient planning, monitoring and control of SGR operations are key areas that call for sharp minds and critical thinkers who can interpret different situations and make accurate judgments and decisions.
Other highly technical jobs like signal, telecommunication, locomotive, rolling stock and track maintenance require specialised engineers and technicians who understand the engineering concepts of data acquisition, troubleshooting, measurements, calibration, fault handling, equipment safety and general repair and maintenance works.
For employees to obtain such skills, specialised training and certification are mandatory. Both Kenyan staff and Chinese expatriates conduct specialised training under the supervision of a training centre, the overall department in charge of training.
These trainers are professionals with years of experience in technical work, operations and staff management and have been chosen as excellent staff and mentors in their areas of work. A key aspect of training in SGR operations is continuity.
Monthly trainings ensure that the staff keeps abreast with all the operations. Inductees must undergo a rigorous six-month training programme before being allowed to work independently, but still under guidance and supervision after passing a series of continuous theory and practical assessments. Communication and brand specialist
