Yes,Kenyans are Hardworking!…But How Do We Compare To Other Immigrant Groups?
Kenyans have always been recognized as one of the most hardworking groups of immigrants in America. Africans in the diaspora are some of the most highly educated groups of people in America, but when it comes to jobs in corporate America, we are not doing as well as the Asians, specially Indians!
In America, the median household income is about USD60,000. Indians median household income is about USD100,000. They make way much more than your typical American!
Indians are known to be smart, and I agree with that, but if you look closely it is really not just about the brains. There are other factors that make this group of people prosper here in the US more than everybody else.
One of the major reasons that makes Indians stand out is the unity and togetherness. Indians are very close to each other. You will find them living in the same community and treat each other as brothers and sisters. They are always willing to help each other and are always ready to share opportunities. They network a lot.
Indians have also mastered the art of knowing where money is. For example, if you are working in corporate America, and you notice that there is a lot of Indians in a certain department, just know that that is where the money is. They do those Jobs that pay well.I worked in corporate America for some years as an IT consultant and I can tell you that more than 50% of the IT workforce in the US is Indian. IT generally pays amazingly well, but a lot of us Africans, have not ventured into this field.
The reason we don’t have a lot of us working in IT industry is because no one really shares with us about the available IT opportunities. As they say, Information is very powerful. I personally struggled a lot after I graduated from college with a master’s degree. I could not even find internship. Luckily, I observed what Indians were doing and that is how I ended up getting trained as an IT consultant, and later on worked as an IT Consultant. A job that also allowed me to get my immigration documents through employment.
So, for smart Kenyans out there struggling to get into corporate America, and for those that would like to get in the IT field, this is a field that is very rewarding. And for those that fear IT, please note, IT is not all about programming. I personally can’t write any programming language. You can have a very successful IT career without being a programmer.
So as Africans, if we can unite and share the available information out there about various opportunities, then we can do way much better than we are currently doing. Yes, we are hardworking, and we are doing well but I think we can do better.
By Robert Mwiti
About me, I am the founder of Appstec America-A consulting company that helps immigrants find opportunities that are abundant here in the United States. For inquiries about my training programs, you can reach out to me at info@appstecamerica.com or call 813 573 5619 ext 402 or you can visit my personal website at www.successwithbobmwiti.com
Well written Robert! I am not Kenyan, but Kenya is one country I respect. Cameroonians are miles down the totem pole in IT and even more importantly, in collaboration. Where Indians lend a hand to each other, Cameroonians keep their skills to themselves because they need to feel more powerful than each other.
I work in IT and I will submit that Indians are not more intelligent than Africans. As you so rightly demonstrate, they have understood the strength in unity. I should also mention that the unity of Indians is even more substantial when you consider their population. Two Indians collaborating could very well be equated to a Kenyan collaborating with a Senegalese.
Thank you Gilbert for your contribution to this article.