This archive report was first published on 24 November 2019.
As the railway transport industry evolves, Kenya's Madaraka Express is poised for a significant transition. To ensure a smooth handover, operators are focusing on knowledge transfer to retain vital information and skills within the industry.
For Africa Star Railway Operations Company, the operator of Madaraka Express, developing a process to transfer skills from seasoned Chinese employees to Kenyans is crucial. This will enable the company to implement succession planning, onboard younger staff, and provide ongoing training to prepare the workforce for change brought about by new technologies.
Knowledge transfer has become a common topic in mergers and acquisitions, focusing on transferring technological expertise, market experience, managerial skills, and corporate culture. To remain competitive and deliver top-quality service, Africa Star Railway Operations Company has designed various training programs aimed at developing internationally recognized competencies for various staff cadres.
With railway operations and maintenance being knowledge-intensive and dependent on technical skills transfer, the company conducts monthly practical and theoretical training to cultivate specific skills. Employees are assessed using methods tailored to relevant competence standards, and training is streamlined to efficiently develop relevant and useful skill sets.
Recently, 48 Kenyans from Africa Star Railway Operations Company, Lapsset, Kenya Railways, and the Transport ministry traveled to China for a three-week training on railway operations and management. The training was a great success, reflecting the commitment by the Chinese to eventually hand over a functional railway transport system to Kenyans.
So far, 79 Africa Star Railway Operations Company employees have gained from educational opportunities in China. In 2019, 55 staff traveled to China, sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China. The courses are taught by renowned experts in their respective fields, and the existence of stronger, deeper, and cordial Sino-Kenyan relations has ensured that training in China remains a successful undertaking.
For instance, in 2017, seven passenger train-locomotive driver trainees undertook a two-month course at the China Baoji Railway Technician College. The training enabled the locomotive drivers to receive key skills that have enabled the company to meet domestic high-speed rail service standards.
Another example is the excellent customer service that Madaraka Express passengers receive, which is a result of training at various institutions in China. It is hoped that the continued arrangement of such critical and crucial courses for Africa Star Railway Operations Company staff and others will further cement the existing collaboration.
