Quality management techniques in University Engineering Departments

Abstract

In recent years, the quality of trainings at university engineering workshops in Kenya and other facilities for the engineering graduates has come into question. Differences in concepts and ways of approach towards quality of the services are affecting workshops and facility performances and in turn low quality graduates. In the context of quality management, the concept of quality has extended from a mere focus on service to business processes Technologists have typically been responsible for the quality of care and training in university engineering workshops and other facilities. However, as it has become difficult to retain already-trained technologists and also source fresh, competent technologists to provide care and service for the engineering graduates in universities workshops and other facilities, there is also a pressing need to adopt measures to find, train, and retain skilled technologists. This study assesses the capacity of Kenya’s public universities to meet the demand for their academic programmes in engineering in addition to finding out if these institutions are responding to the quality labour market requirements. The paper also proposes a quality management model to effectively manage engineering human resources and other facilities for the engineering graduates with an emphasis on improving the intellectual productivity of technologists in these workshops and other facilities. This model is centered mainly on information sharing to secure and develop skilled human resources in order to ensure the delivery of high quality trainings in these workshops and other facilities. Moreover, in this model, it is conditional that Customer Satisfaction, Employee Satisfaction, Stakeholder Satisfaction are met under stable management and environment that same quality and optimal trainings are offered. This paper adopts modernization and dependency theories to interrogate the Universities and intellectual interface and raise pertinent issues on the problem. The methodology is largely normative. Secondary data is used with deep and comprehensive primary insights into the operations of major university workshops in Kenya to sufficiently address potential efficacy and likelihood of failures of Universities as the possible hope in achieving the Vision 2030 in Kenya and identical programs including the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals. The possibilities of sustainable alternatives are also explored.