The National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) is a Kenyan state corporation tasked with promoting quality and efficient industrial training. NITA offers a variety of courses, including proficiency, skills upgrading, artisan, and tailor-made courses for both formal and informal sectors.
Skills upgrading courses are 120 hours and offered during the day for 4 hours per day or in the evening for 2 hours per day.
Tailor-made courses are short-duration and customized to meet the specific needs of customers, with duration varying based on training needs. NITA is the examining body for all courses.
NITA Branches in Kenya
NITA courses in Kenya are offered in five industrial training centres across the country. The Authority has its headquarters in Nairobi, and the following branches:
- NITA Textile Training Institute
- NITA Nairobi
- NITA Kisumu
- NITA Mombasa
- NITA Athi River
Courses Offered by NITA Kenya
Electrical Section
- Electrical installation and filter
- Electrical wireman
- Solar power installation
- Motor control
- Motor rewinding
- Power generator repair and maintenance
- Electronic mechanics (charge controllers, inverters, radio, TV, DVD, CCTV)
Automotive Section
- Motor vehicle mechanics
- Motor vehicle electricals and electronics
- On-board diagnostics and electronic diagnostics of vehicles (OBD)
- Panel beating and spray painting
- Motorcycle and small engines
- Vehicle upholstery
- EFI diagnostics
- Engine Repair and service
Mechanical Section
- General fitting
- Gas welding
- MIG and TIG welding
- High-pressure welding
- CNC lathe and milling machining
- Turning/Machining (lathe, milling and shaping)
- Welding and fabricating
- Filter and mechanical maintenance
- Arc welding
Building Section
- Tiling
- Masonry
- Carpentry and Joinery and PVC panels ceiling
- Plumbing and pipefitter
- Painter/ decorator
- Signwriting
- Polishing
- Shoemaking
- Leatherwork
- Block making
- Cabinet maker and polishing
ICT Section
-
- MS Office Packages and Internet
- MS Publisher, Adobe Pagemaker
- Computer hardware maintenance, installation and repair
- Introduction to computer and OS
- Industrial AutoCAD
- Computer programming
- Web development and graphics design
- Accounting Packages
- Microprocessor Technology
- Data communication and computer networks
- Entrepreneurship and soft skills
NITA Short Skill Upgrading Courses (SUG)
These are evening or part-time short courses targeting workers in industrial areas like manufacturing and processing industries, Jua kali, NGOs, counties, and parastatals.
The duration for these courses is 120 hours and requires a minimum qualification of KCPE certificate or equivalent.
SUG Courses in Building Engineering Section
- Carpentry & Joinery/cabinet making
- Plumbing / Pipe Fitter
- Painter/Decorator/ Polishing
- Masonry/Tiling/block making
SUG Courses in Mechanical Engineering Section
- Fitter General
- Arc Welding
- Gas Welding
- Machinist (Lathe, Milling, Shaping)
SUG Courses in Motor Vehicle Engineering Section
- Motor Vehicle Mechanics
- Motor Vehicle Electrician
- Panel Beating and Spray Painting
- Vehicle upholstery
SUG Courses in Electrical Engineering Section
- Electrical Installation
- Electronics Mechanic
- Motor Controls
- Motor Rewinding/power generators repair & maintenance
Special Courses in Electrical and Electronics Engineering
These courses take a period of 2 weeks to complete and require a Government Trade Test III or equivalent in electrical installation.
- Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)
- Solar Installation TI
Special Courses in Mechanical, Automotive and Leather Work
The cost for these courses is negotiable and the courses go for a duration of 120 hours.
| Course | Requirement |
|---|---|
| MIG and TIG Welding | GTT 3 in arc welding or equivalent in welding or equivalent |
| Industrial AutoCAD | Technical Drawing or equivalent |
| High-Pressure welding | Gtt3 in arc welding or equivalent |
| On-board-Diagnosis & electronic diagnosis of vehicles (OBD) | MVM/MVE or equivalent |
| Leatherwork | KCPE or equivalent |
NITA Courses Admission Requirements and Duration
Here are the course duration and entry requirements for admission into the various NITA programmes across its institutions in Kenya:
- Artisan courses require a KCPE certificate or its equivalent and take a duration of up to 5 terms
- Craft courses require a D- (minus) in KCSE or equivalent and take a duration of 5 terms to complete
- Skill upgrading and Tailor-made courses require recognition of prior learning or Government trade test or any other recognized qualifications. The courses take a duration of 6 weeks which can be negotiated.
- Craft proficiency courses are offered in three levels; Preliminary, Intermediate, and Final.
Trainees in regular craft and artisan courses are required to complete 3 months in-center training and 6 months in-plant attachment before certification at each level.
NITA Kenya Courses Fee Structure
Here are NITA Kenya fees break down for various courses, payable on admission. These may change anytime according to the Authority’s discretion.
And here is the fee for other levels of training;
| # | Course | Level 1 (Ksh.) | Level 2 (Ksh.) | Level 3 (Ksh.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crafts proficiency | 20,800.00 | 18,500,00 | 18,500.00 |
| 2 | Industrial Artisan | 20,800.00 | 18,500.00 | 18,500.00 |
| 3 | Skill Upgrading | 11,500.00 | 9,250.00 | 11,550.00 |
Specialized courses in electrical ie solar PV & PLC take 2 weeks and the fee is Ksh. 25,000 or negotiable.
Specialized Tailor-made courses ( Mechanical, automotive, leather), the fee is negotiable, the same case with ICT Courses.
Accommodation (Nita Nairobi)
The campus can accommodate about 400 trainees and charges hostel fees as follows;
Four Weeks – Ksh. 8,500
Six Weeks – Ksh. 12,250
One Term – Ksh 25,000
Registration and application can be done on the NITA portal: nita.go.ke.
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