Degree courses which used to rock 20 years ago may not be as marketable as they used to, some of them have become obsolete. It is therefore important for universities in Kenya to consider dropping some of the irrelevant degree courses and introduce degrees which are in demand in the modern world.
You will realize degrees like sports management, Bachelor of Science general, Bachelor of Arts general and fisheries don’t appeal to employers in Kenya. When a student pursue any of these degree, he is subjected to trauma after graduation since relevant job vacancies are scarce. It becomes a waste of resources and time when you pursue some of these good for nothing courses.
Due to high level of unemployment and changing employment dynamics, the following are some of the degree courses universities in Kenya should adopt.
Online Marketing
Online marketing is becoming dominant as bill board and TV marketing become more and more expensive. Several companies are turning to social media and online platforms to market their products.
In this era of smartphones, many people receive news online and interact more on social media than they do with Televisions and Radios. It is very important for universities to produce experts in online marketing.
Today, most companies are recruiting online marketers and individuals who can handle social media pages; if you possess a relevant degree, you will find it extremely easy to secure a position in a top company.
GIS and Remote Sensing
Google and several companies employ GIS experts to develop apps and also analyze remote sensing data. This is one area in Kenya which is not exploited yet we have so many companies in need of these skills.
Only Technical University of Kenya and JKUAT offer this training in Kenya, but it’s wise for other universities to introduce a degree in the same.
Monitoring and Evaluation/Statistics
Monitoring and evaluation is also another area of specialization which needs to be introduced in all universities in Kenya. This course is heavily used in the NGO sector and is among the highest paying careers in the country.
If a university fails to introduce M&E, it should at least introduce Bachelor of Statistics
Terrorism Studies
Terrorism has become one of the burning issues in our country. These people come up with new and sophisticated techniques, which sometimes outclass the security apparatus. The introduction of the course will ensure experts are trained on terrorism and terrorism trends, who in turn will advise the government on how to tackle the menace.
Software Engineering
Finally, as you know we are living in an era where the use of Apps is the order of the day.Today, the insurance, banking, manufacturing, IT, hotel,transport,airline and several other industries are using apps to facilitate transactions and offer services. These apps have become so important that the existence of several careers have been threatened.
Kenyan universities should know that it’s not business as usual, as banks, insurance and other sectors strive to streamline operations by employing the use of apps and technology. Jobs like bank tellers and accountants will be replaced by apps.University should take note of this and introduce software engineering, which will equip students with skills of developing apps and programming as well.
