The competition was offered two majors - CNC Lathe Machining and Computer Aided Design (CAD) Software Application. CNC Lathe Machining competition was held offline in Kenya at TU-K from 24th July 2023.
During the same time, the Mechanical Drawing and CAD Software Application competition was held online through the AVIC Vocational Education Online Platform where participants were trained within their respective countries. This year’s competition registered 83 teams of 332 participants (65 online & 18 offline) from nine countries including Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
TU-K teams that participated in the event and won several awards included:
- 1st place in group award for Mechanical Drawing and CAD Software Application (students David Mwangi, Mercy Wanjiru, Samuel Irungu, and Team Leader Arthur Owuor).
- 1st place in group award for CNC Lathe Machining (students Victor Ngumbau Mue, Kennedy Karingithi Mathenge, Boniface Nyutu Gitau and Team Leader Thomas Joseph Embuga).
- Excellence award in Mechanical Drawing and CAD Software Application, won by Samuel Irungu.
- 1st place individual award in CNC Lathe Machining, won by Victor Ngumbau Mue.
- 2nd place individual award for Mechanical Drawing and CAD Software Application, won by Samuel Irungu.
- 3rd place individual award for Mechanical Drawing and CAD Software Application, won by David Mwangi.
- 4th place individual award for Mechanical Drawing and CAD Software Application award, won by Mercy Wanjiru.
- 5th place individual award in CNC Lathe Machining, won by Kennedy Karingithi Mathenge.
- ‘Karibu Kenya’award, presented to Technical University of Kenya as the host institution.
Kenya’s Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, who represented the President William Ruto during the award ceremony in Nairobi affirmed Kenya’s commitment in upholding good bilateral relations with her partners.
The Deputy President lauded AVIC International for the ATC program acknowledging that it plays a key role in enhancing technical skills for technical students in Kenya. He noted that the skills will immensely help to reduce unemployment and poverty index levels in the country through innovation and entrepreneurship.
Hon. Gachagua further urged the youth to take advantage of the youth-driven ICT potential to leverage innovations in artificial intelligence, robotics and other technologies to enhance productivity and competitiveness.
Other guests who graced the awards ceremony included Minister Counsellor, People’s Republic of China, Permanent Secretary of TVET, Kenya, Minister of Education, Uganda, Deputy Secretary General of China Education Association for International Exchange and Vice President of AVIC International Holdings Corporation.