Hospitality & Tourism

Artisan in Catering and Accommodation

The Artisan in Catering and Accommodation is a TVET-CDACC Level 4 competency-based programme that trains students in fundamental catering and accommodation skills for the hospitality industry. The course is examined by TVET-CDACC and offered across accredited TVET institutions in Kenya. Students learn basic food handling, room preparation, cleaning, laundry assistance, guest service, and hospitality hygiene practices.

The curriculum covers basic units including communication skills, numeracy skills, digital literacy, entrepreneurial skills, employability skills, environmental literacy, and occupational safety and health practices. Core units focus on basic catering assistance, room preparation, cleaning, laundry handling, guest service support, and industrial attachment in a hospitality establishment.

Kenya's hospitality sector growth, including new hotels, lodges, and conference facilities, creates demand for entry-level catering and accommodation personnel. Hotels, lodges, hospitals, and educational institutions require trained staff for catering support, housekeeping assistance, and accommodation services.

Training combines classroom theory with practical sessions in kitchen and accommodation environments. Students practice food handling, room preparation, cleaning, laundry assistance, and guest service under supervised conditions. The programme includes industrial attachment in hotels, lodges, or catering establishments where students apply their skills in real hospitality environments.

Graduates work as catering helpers, housekeeping assistants, laundry assistants, room attendants, and accommodation helpers in hotels, lodges, hospitals, and educational institutions. The qualification provides a foundation for progression to Catering and Accommodation Level 5 and Level 6 for supervisory and management roles.

This programme is suitable for KCSE certificate holders with a mean grade of E or KCPE certificate who are interested in practical hospitality skills and seeking direct entry into the catering and accommodation sector.

Duration: 1 year
Public, up to: Ksh 67,189
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 1 months
Average class: 30 students
Award: Artisan Certificate

What you study

8 subjects

Basic Food Handling
Simple Cooking
Cleaning
Bed Making
Dish Washing
Basic Hygiene
Kitchen Assistance
Workplace Safety

Modules

8 in the programme

Workplace Safety and Hygiene
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Occupational safety, food hygiene, and health practices in kitchen and accommodation settings including safe equipment use, fire safety, and personal hygiene standards.
Basic Food Handling
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Safe handling of food ingredients and prepared food including proper storage temperatures, cross-contamination prevention, and food safety practices in kitchen operations.
Simple Cooking
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Basic cooking techniques for simple dishes including boiling, frying, roasting, and steaming following standard recipes and food preparation methods.
Cleaning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Cleaning kitchens, dining areas, and accommodation spaces including sanitising surfaces, equipment cleaning, floor mopping, and maintaining hygiene standards.
Bed Making
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Bed making and room tidying including linen changing, pillow arrangement, bed presentation, and basic room preparation for guest accommodation standards.
Dish Washing
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Proper dish washing and kitchen equipment cleaning including manual washing, sanitising, drying, and storage of cutlery, crockery, and cooking utensils.
Kitchen Assistance
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Assisting kitchen staff with basic tasks including ingredient preparation, equipment setup, food plating support, and routine kitchen duties under chef supervision.
Basic Hygiene
Year 3Semester 26 creditsCore
Personal hygiene and food safety practices including hand washing, protective clothing use, food handling standards, and personal cleanliness in hospitality environments.

Specialisations

Food Preparation Support
Specialisation in basic food preparation assistance including ingredient preparation, kitchen equipment setup, plating support, and routine kitchen duties under chef supervision.
Housekeeping Support
Focus on basic cleaning and room maintenance including bed making, linen changing, surface sanitising, and guest room preparation for accommodation operations.
General Hospitality Support
General hospitality support operations including dining area setup, dish washing, cleaning, and basic customer service assistance in catering and accommodation establishments.
Kitchen Support
Focus on basic kitchen assistance including ingredient preparation, equipment cleaning, dish washing, and routine support tasks for kitchen operations.

A day as a student

Students spend virtually all their time performing basic kitchen tasks — washing dishes, preparing ingredients, cleaning — and basic housekeeping tasks — making beds, cleaning rooms, and maintaining hygiene.

The trade offs

In its favour

Quick entry to hospitality workforce with basic skills.
Most affordable entry point to hospitality.
Foundation for progression to craft, certificate, and diploma.

Against it

Entry-level positions have modest salaries.
Physical work involving cleaning and standing for long periods.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 91 hospitality & tourism courses

Public67k to 67k

67k at Public TVET institutions (standardized fee)67k at Public TVET institutions (standardized fee)

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

TVET 67,189/yr public (standardized). Private: unverified.

TVET government funding and HELB loans are available. Artisan programmes are the most affordable entry point to hospitality.

Funding options

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Funding
Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) - TVET Loans

Scholarships

4 recorded

County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties.
National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF)
BursaryKenyan
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
HELB TVET Loans
LoanKenyan
Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited TVET institutions.
TVET Funding
Government fundingKenyan
Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited TVET institutions.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: KCSE Mean Grade D- (Minus) or below, or KCPE certificate
Alternative entry: KCPE certificate holders are also eligible. No specific subject requirements.

How you are assessed

3 components

Practical Projects
Project25% of the mark
Completion of basic kitchen and housekeeping tasks.
Competency-Based Practical Assessment
Practicum60% of the mark
TVET-CDACC competency assessment of practical hospitality skills.
Theory Assessment
Test15% of the mark
Basic written assessment of supporting hospitality knowledge.

Accreditation

Accredited by Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) and certified by TVET Curriculum Development Assessment and Certification Council (TVET-CDACC) under the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF). The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE), the statutory body responsible for quality assurance and regulation of university education in Kenya.

Accredited by

Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority
NationalRequired
Mandatory accreditation for all TVET institutions and programmes in Kenya.
TVET Curriculum Development Assessment and Certification Council
NationalRequired
Examining and certifying body for competency-based programmes under the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF).

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Kitchen Porter
High demandKsh 25,000 to Ksh 42,000
Support kitchen operations with washing, cleaning, and basic preparation.
Kitchen Assistant
Moderate demandKsh 26,000 to Ksh 44,000
Assist with basic kitchen tasks under supervision.
Cleaner
High demandKsh 23,000 to Ksh 38,000
Clean and maintain hospitality premises.
Housekeeping Helper
Moderate demandKsh 24,000 to Ksh 40,000
Assist with basic housekeeping and room maintenance.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as kitchen porters and cleaners in hotels, restaurants, and hospitality establishments across Kenya.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

This programme has limited career opportunities.
Graduates pursue diverse career paths across multiple sectors in Kenya and internationally.