Against all odds

When you think of ambition and persistence, think of Ebenezer Murithi. As Benjamin Franklin once said, Ebenezer is a living testimony that energy and persistence conquers all things. The firstborn in a family of 3 siblings was born and raised in Katheri location, Meru County. He started his primary school education at Church View Academy, where he completed with 380 marks in his KCPE. Ebenezer always dreamt of being an aeronautical engineer since primary school. He learnt about aeronautical engineering on a career day in primary school. He liked fixing things from a young age, which heavily influenced his career choice. He loves things that challenge his mind, and he has to look for solutions. His good primary school performance secured him a spot at Nkubu High School in Meru, where he studied hard, scoring an A- in his KCSE in 2012. His outstanding performance earned him the opportunity to pursue his dream course, Aeronautical Engineering at the Technical University of Kenya. Ebenezer completed his degree in 2018, graduating with a second-class upper division. His aspiration to become an engineer finally came true. However, he experienced challenges in securing an internship or a job immediately. When he finally got his first attachment, it was at the operator of Kenya airports for three months as a mechanical intern. When his job search did not bear fruit, he sought another internship as a technician for the national carrier for another three months. He later joined an African airline as an Aircraft Technician Trainee for two and a half years. Unfortunately, when the program ended, the training team was let go. This saw him do casual technical jobs in aviation to make ends meet for two months. No sooner had he given up, than an opening came up at the African airline for a planning intern, which he worked for eight months, hoping to get a job. On completing his internship and having no job, 748 announced an internship vacancy. His exemplary performance and excellent work ethic made him recognized and enabled him to secure the 748 position. Christine Rice once said, “Persistence and determination are always rewarded.” After the internship, Ebenezer got employed as a Planning Engineer. Ebenezer has worked as a planning engineer for one and a half years now, with his role growing to become the Principal Planning Engineer. As the Principal Planning Engineer, his daily work entails tracking and scheduling aircraft maintenance in the short-term, medium, and long-term plans ensuring all are done in a timely fashion and the aircrafts remain airworthy. This includes A-Check, C- Checks, and Component Changes such as gears and engines. Ebenezer advises his peers to never give up, to follow their passion, and to be patient as they consistently work hard to realize their goals. He describes 748 Air Services as a friendly environment that offers growth opportunities and where peoples’ efforts are recognized. Ebenezer heavily believes time and chance happen to everyone. Everyone should do their best to make the most out of the opportunities they get. During his free time, he loves playing PlayStation and hanging out with friends.