Strong collaborations between Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutes and industry are important in developing skills of trainers during industrial attachment.
The college has established mutually beneficial collaborations with a number of industries including Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Corporation, Dire Dawa National Cement SC, and Dire Dawa Food Complex PLC stand out as active contributors to the college’s mission. Through the collaborations, Dire Dawa Polytechnic College has been able to send a number of staff for industrial attachment which has provided them with valuable experience, promoting innovation and problem-solving within the industries.
Fly finger spare part produced by staff of Dire Dawa Polytechnic College. The spare part is used in food processing machinery.
During a recent industrial attachment at Dire Dawa Food Complex PLC, college teachers had the opportunity to put their skills to the test and assess potential problem areas. It was during this immersive experience that their problem-solving skills were put to test. A biscuit-producing machine’s “fly-finger” component had broken, rendering the entire machine useless. Since the broken part of machine was costly and inaccessible on the local market, production was halted, forcing the company to terminate staff contracts thus adversely affecting productivity.
However, the teachers from Dire Dawa Polytechnic College used their experience in the industrial attachment to develop a spare part to replace the spoilt part. As a result, the company was able to avoid expensive imports, preserve foreign currency, boost productivity, and, most importantly, maintain the livelihoods of its employees.
Containers for Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Corporation painted and maintained by staff of Dire Dawa Polytechnic College
In another partnership, the Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Corporation signed an agreement the College for painting and maintain containers used in transporting goods from Djibouti port. Konel Detergent Factory has also benefited from the College’s partnership with industry. The factory is working with the college to manufacture spare parts, ensuring the smooth functioning of the machinery and minimizing downtime.
The various successes registered demonstrate the value of collaboration between TVET institutions and industry that go beyond skills development to foster innovation, problem-solving, and support economic growth.
By Mesay Tilahun, the Ag. Project Coordinator for EASTRIP at Dire Dawa Polytechnic College.