Ex-Kenya Power chief executive Ben Chumo. PHOTO | FILE
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Retired Kenya Power boss sets sights on lecturing, says he’s got three offers.
Former chief executives holding PhD degrees are finding new jobs as university lecturers, cashing in on their academic knowledge and work experiences.
Ben Chumo, who announced his exit from Kenya Power on Wednesday, is the latest executive to move into full-time teaching in a trend that will help to bridge the gap between what is taught in lecture halls and its application in the job market.
The list of former corporate executives holding doctorate degree and have gone into teaching include ex-Sasini managing director Caesar Mwangi, Nyambura Koigi (Postbank), Silas Masinde Simiyu (Geothermal Development Company).
The Retirement Benefits Authority chief Edward Odundo is also doubling as a part-time lecturer teaching business and management-related courses.
“Teaching is my passion. I already have three offers as we speak,” said Dr Chumo without divulging finer details.
This illustrates the demand for corporate executives with PhDs at a time when a number of managers are pursuing doctorate degrees such as Maggie Ireri (TIFA research), Jane Pamela Odhiambo (Sony Sugar) boss and Abubakar Swaleh (Kenya Power HR head).
The rise of full lecturers who have served the executive suite comes at a time when the Commission for University Education (CUE), the higher education regulator, has issued fresh guidelines stipulating that only PhD holders will be allowed to serve as lecturers in Kenyan universities as a quality control measure.
“We welcome these executives. We encourage them to join teaching. We have a shortage of PhD holders in our universities,” says Prof David Some, the CUE chief executive.
“They bring practical experience from industry. This is a big plus. Them having PhDs is an added advantage”
The Federation of Kenya Employers has repeatedly raised the red flag over the persistent mismatch in what industry requires and the skills that university graduates are entering the labour market with.
“Business PhD holders are very few. So, combining it with practical experience makes it a rare gem,” said Dr Mwangi who lecturers at Strathmore University.
William Kirwa, a former boss at the Agricultural Development Corporation, is currently undertaking a PhD in business strategy at Strathmore University where he also teaches.
Dr Chumo, who supervised postgraduate students taking human resource (HR) while serving as CEO, said he is now going into full-time teaching.
The immediate former Kenya Power boss received his doctorate degree in HR management from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in 2013.
Dr Mwangi reckons that bringing industry players into the classroom will help bridge the skills gap that exists between graduates’ learning experiences and the demands of the workplace.
“I bring the practical experiences earned in the CEOs office and the board to class. When I’m teaching about corporate governance and ethics, I talk about the dilemmas that I’ve faced,” he said.
Dr Mwangi holds a PhD in organisational performance and change management from the University of Johannesburg. His last job was regional director at UK non-profit Global Village Energy Partnership International, where he left in April 2015.
Dr Koigi, who left Postbank in June 2014 after nine years at the helm, said she was yet to move into full-time lecturing but was engaged in executive training and coaching.
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