China Railway 20th Bureau Group Corporation Limited (CR20G), the Chinese contractor rehabilitating the Marka-Bangula railway in southern Malawi, has welcomed trainees from local technical institutions to gain hands-on experience at the project site.
The company hosted its first group of bricklaying trainees from Tengani Community Technical College in Nsanje District for a three-day educational tour that concluded last Friday.
CR20G Lab Manager Geng Penghui told Xinhua that during the tour, Chinese technical experts guided the trainees through various exercises, including concrete testing and laboratory techniques.
Geng emphasized that the program benefits both the trainees and the railway project, as it helps to transfer essential technical skills to the local workforce, potentially opening employment opportunities for the students.
“A local technician is very important for the society and, as a project, we need professional technicians — good personnel to do the job — and we hope that in the future we can employ the students and build the railway,” Geng said.
Each trainee received a certificate of honor from the CR20G at the end of the three-day educational tour.
The visit was well received by the trainees and their college authorities. Rudith Msombelo, an instructor from the college who accompanied the students, praised the CR20G’s openness to the visit, highlighting the exposure it provided to practical skills and professional equipment.