Fresh from college and with a diploma in civil engineering, Felix Mwangi, 27, thought he had what it takes to get a job in this lucrative field, but he was very wrong. This is his story.
Engineering is among the most sought after courses. You missed a job with all your qualifications?
And that dampened your spirits?
It has been said that majority of the employed and self-employed are working in careers they never trained for…
That sounds frustrating…
What do you do now?
Seems like you learned best from your employer?
We make branded attires for different industries and target schools, health and hospitality sector, security, NGOs, sportswear and knitwear(sweaters).
How bad was Covid-19 on your business?
We had to rebrand and transition to making personal protective equipment and facemasks as the business took a hit. I had to seek other ways to shore up the dwindling fortunes in the face of the pandemic, including working as a driver ferrying ballast for the metre gauge railway rehabilitation.
On school uniforms, they say cartels control the sector. How true is this?
Worse, there are clients who place bulk orders, but do not want to commit themselves in meeting the production costs. You may meet clients online who make orders only for them to disappear, and if the orders were already customised, there is no way you can reverse the customisations and you have to count this as a business loss. It pays to know your clients well before engaging with them and in the process, establish a good business rapport with them.
How do you do marketing?
How is the business environment like presently?
Do you foresee better days ahead?
