Revealed: Courses that are key to promoting industrial growth

Dar es Salaam. As Tanzania plans to build a Sh1 trillion economy by 2050, education experts say the country must urgently guide students towards specialised science and engineering courses that match the demands of an industrial economy.

Discussions among academics, parents, students and industry specialists during the Study in Sweden Fair organised by Dar es Salaam-based education consultancy EduKwanza recently, revealed a widening gap between what local universities offer and the skills required to support industrialisation under Dira 2050.

While traditional academic degrees remain important, they argue that industrial growth depends on targeted investment in advanced technical skills.

Key priority fields identified include welding engineering, renewable energy engineering, industrial automation and robotics and marine engineering.

Speaking in an interview with The Citizen, education specialists said the country should design deliberate strategies to sponsor students and lecturers to pursue specialised programmes abroad in areas where Tanzania faces clear skills shortages.

The government has already taken steps in this direction through initiatives such as the Samia Scholarship Extended in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DS/AI), which aims to develop highly skilled professionals capable of supporting a technology-driven economy.

At the same time, education agencies are changing their approach by bringing foreign universities directly to Tanzanian students to improve career guidance and programme selection.

EduKwanza co-founder and managing director Sarfraz Kassam said students and parents need reliable information before making decisions about studying abroad.

“Our approach allows students and parents to meet university representatives face to face and understand the strengths of each institution before choosing programmes that match future career opportunities,” he said.

He noted that in the past many students applied online without proper guidance, often choosing courses with limited relevance to future labour market needs.

“We want students to understand which programmes are relevant for the future before they apply. This is the reason why we bring the best universities every year in Tanzania to meet with students and parents for mutual decision making,” he said.

Specialised courses in demand

A professor of welding technology at University West in Sweden, Prof Paul Kah, said Tanzania must plan strategically for the skills required in an industrial economy.

“Industrial development depends on specialised skills. Countries that industrialised invested heavily in engineering and technical education,” said the Cameroonian-born engineer.

He emphasised that welding engineering remains one of the most critical professions in industrial economies, supporting construction, mining, transport and manufacturing.

Despite its importance, welding engineering is rarely taught at university level in Tanzania.

“Without welding there is no industrialisation. Welding engineers design, test and supervise industrial production,” he said.

He further noted that Tanzania’s major infrastructure projects, including railways, bridges and factories, require highly trained welding specialists.

Renewable energy engineering is another field expected to grow rapidly as countries shift towards clean energy.

Energy education specialist based in South Africa, Prof Mandla Nkosi said Africa’s economic growth will depend heavily on reliable energy systems.

“Renewable energy engineering is not just about electricity. It supports manufacturing, mining and agriculture,” he said.

Tanzania’s expanding solar and hydropower projects have increased demand for energy engineers, yet the country produces few specialists.

Industrial automation and robotics are also becoming central to modern manufacturing worldwide.  Experts say Tanzania must begin preparing engineers who understand automated production systems if local industries are to remain competitive.

“Factories today rely on automation. Students who understand robotics and digital manufacturing will be essential in the future economy,” said Prof Kah.

Marine engineering was identified as another critical field because of Tanzania’s long coastline and expanding port operations.

Marine engineers maintain ships, port equipment and offshore installations, making them essential for maritime trade.

Prof Nkosi said maritime industries remain underdeveloped in many African countries due to limited specialised training.

“Marine engineering offers strong employment opportunities, especially for countries with strategic ports,” he said.

They also stressed the importance of training university lecturers in emerging technical fields abroad to strengthen local institutions.

“When lecturers gain specialised knowledge abroad, they return and build new programmes locally. That is how strong education systems develop,” said Prof Kah.

Education analysts say aligning foreign study programmes with national development priorities will be essential if Tanzania is to build the skilled workforce needed to achieve Dira 2050.