Virginia Kerubo: Quantity Surveyor Who Switched Career To Aviation To Fulfill Childhood Dream

Virginia Kerubo is an air traffic controller doubling up as a Public Relations Officer for Kenya Air Traffic Controllers Association.

Before her career in aviation, she worked as a quantity surveyor having graduated from the University of Nairobi (UoN).

While growing up, Kerubo noted that she always wanted to pursue aviation thus her decision to switch careers.

Hereis her story as told by WoK.

The 34-year-old is the second born child in a family of five.

In an interview with Citizen TV, Kerubo stated that she always liked trying out new stuff while growing up.

She noted that she enjoyed engaging in things that would fascinate her and rejuvenate her mind.

“I love things that make me think much about it. The first time I interacted with an aircraft I was at my grandparents’

“There’s an aircraft that flew by although it was quite low. Out of the excitement fear and excitement, I wanted to understand how it works,” she said.

From that moment, Kerubo wanted to pursue a career in aviation later but ended up doing something different.

“All along I would tell my dad that I wanted to do aviation. I was, however, called to UoN where I studied quantity surveying,” she said.

She graduated and worked in the construction industry for five years as a surveyor, although all along she wanted a career in aviation.

It was not long when she came across an advertisement for graduate trainees to join Kenya Civil Aviation (KCA).

“I applied and made it through shortly before I started classes. We gave our best and eventually made through the training classes,” Virginia Kerubo said.

Kerubo said that she doesn’t regret switching her career.

“My job is to ensure that planes don’t crash into each other. I also give clearance and instructions to pilots

“When I come in for my shift, the first thing that I do is conducting a runway inspection, I then ensure my equipments in the control tower is working,” she explained.

Kerubo noted that the greatest moment in her career was facilitating marathoner Eliud Kipchoge’s plane for departure to Austria for the iconic INEOS 1:59 challenge.