ISK Opens Industry Door for Students With New Internship Portal and Mentorship Drive

ISK Opens Industry Door for Students With New Internship Portal and Mentorship Drive

Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK) President Eric Nyadimo addresses the inaugural ISK Student Conference at the University of Nairobi, where he highlighted efforts to strengthen industry-academia linkages and prepare students for emerging opportunities in the geospatial and real estate sectors.

By Jeff Oyugi

Nairobi — October 1, 2026

The Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK) has moved to bridge the gap between university training and professional practice with the launch of its inaugural student conference and a digital internship portal aimed at connecting students directly with employers.

The initiative, unveiled at the University of Nairobi during the first ISK Student Conference, seeks to give students early exposure to industry, mentorship and employment opportunities as the geospatial, surveying and real estate sectors undergo rapid technological transformation.

Held under the theme “Beyond the Classroom, Preparing Students for the Future of Geospatial and Real Estate,” the conference brought together hundreds of students, university lecturers, public sector officials and technology providers to examine the skills young professionals will require in an increasingly digital economy.

Speaking during the press briefing, ISK President Eric Nyadimo said the conference was intended to create a lasting bridge between universities and the rapidly changing professional environment.

He said the forum would become an annual platform for students to interact with practitioners, potential employers and other industry stakeholders while gaining a clearer understanding of the realities of professional practice.

Nyadimo said Kenya’s land and built environment sectors were being reshaped by rapid urbanisation, changing client demands and the growing use of data in corporate and public decision making.

He pointed to emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, digital twins, building information modelling and property technology as some of the innovations changing how land, property and spatial information is collected, analysed and managed.

“These advancements present vast new horizons for entering practitioners,” Nyadimo said, while noting that they also required a fresh look at how effectively university education aligns with industry needs.

A key highlight of the conference was the launch of the ISK internship portal, a digital platform designed to provide a structured link between students and potential employers.

Through the portal, students will be able to showcase their specialised skills and apply for available opportunities, while recruiters, technology firms and real estate companies will have a platform through which they can identify emerging talent.

Nyadimo said the initiative was designed to address one of the persistent challenges facing young graduates: securing meaningful workplace experience before entering formal professional practice.

The platform, he said, would help standardise the transition from university into employment by giving students an avenue to gain practical exposure while allowing employers to identify talent at an early stage.

Nyadimo also challenged students to look beyond academic qualifications, saying technical knowledge alone would not guarantee long term success in a profession increasingly shaped by technology.

He said future surveyors and real estate professionals would need to combine technical expertise with digital literacy, communication skills, complex problem solving and professional ethics.

“Technical expertise alone is no longer sufficient to guarantee career longevity,” Nyadimo said.

He urged students to take charge of their careers before graduation and avoid approaching the labour market solely as job seekers.

Instead, he said, they should position themselves as innovators and critical thinkers capable of contributing to Kenya’s smart cities and modern spatial planning frameworks.

ISK Deputy President Nelly Mbugua said the conference was particularly important because it brought students into direct contact with the people and organisations that could shape their professional careers.

Mbugua said the objective was to ensure students did not leave university with academic qualifications alone but also had access to mentorship, professional networks and practical opportunities.

“The purpose of coming together is to bring the students to their future employers to make sure that the link is stronger,” Mbugua said.

She said early interaction between students and industry would help young professionals “find their bearing, find their mentorship, find their connection” as they transition from university into employment.

Mbugua further said ISK wanted to introduce students to the wide range of opportunities available within the profession, including government and private sector roles in surveying, real estate agency and property management.

“We would like to really open their eyes to make sure that the sky isn't even the limit,” she said, encouraging students to explore their creativity and potential beyond conventional career paths.

She added that the organisation was also looking for innovators among students as technology continues to transform professional practice.

Mbugua urged students to turn theoretical knowledge acquired in classrooms into practical solutions that could respond to emerging needs in the land and property sectors.

The push for stronger academia-industry collaboration also comes as education systems increasingly emphasise competence based learning.

A university representative at the conference said the partnership between academia and industry provided an important platform for students to develop competencies before graduation, particularly at a time of rapid digital and technological transformation.

For students attending the conference, the internship portal could provide a much needed solution to difficulties experienced when searching for attachments and professional opportunities.

Abigail Mwambwa, a fourth year student pursuing geometric engineering and geospatial information science, welcomed the initiative, saying students had been waiting for opportunities that could bring them closer to industry professionals.

“This conference is really what we as students were eagerly waiting for,” Mwambwa said.

She said the internship portal would provide students with an easier avenue to seek opportunities while also allowing them to network with professionals and interact with students from other institutions.

Mwambwa said such interaction would help students understand the relationship between geospatial studies and related fields such as real estate, construction and planning.

The internship portal will initially target universities training ISK student members, including the University of Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology and the Technical University of Kenya. ISK said other institutions offering relevant programmes would be able to join the platform as they come on board.

Beyond internships, ISK is also developing a mentorship programme that will connect students with senior members of the profession who can guide them through career development, innovation and professional practice.

Nyadimo said the internship platform would also give employers an opportunity to identify promising students whose skills and potential could be nurtured into future employment.

At the same time, he acknowledged that employment opportunities alone would not be sufficient to accommodate every graduate and encouraged students to consider innovation and entrepreneurship as alternative ways of creating opportunities.

He further urged students to focus on three key areas as they prepare for professional life, internship, mentorship and patience.

“Internship is important. Mentorship is fundamental,” the ISK President said, adding that students also needed patience because professional growth takes time.

The initiative places practical exposure, technology and innovation at the centre of ISK’s efforts to prepare the next generation of professionals.

For the students, the message from the conference was clear, university education should be a foundation rather than the end of professional preparation, with industry exposure, mentorship and innovation increasingly becoming essential bridges between the classroom and the workplace.