Engineering

Artisan in Land Surveying

The Artisan in Land Surveying is a TVET-CDACC Level 4 competency-based programme that trains students in fundamental land surveying support skills for the construction and land management sector. The course is examined by TVET-CDACC and offered across accredited TVET institutions in Kenya. Students learn basic survey equipment handling, site assistance, measurement support, marking, and field work safety.

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 survey equipment handling, site assistance, measurement support, marking and pegging, field work safety, and industrial attachment with a surveying firm or construction company.

Kenya's construction sector, land administration, and infrastructure development projects create demand for entry-level surveying support personnel. Surveying firms, construction companies, and government land departments require trained assistants for field survey operations and equipment handling.

Training combines classroom theory with practical sessions in field and site environments. Students practice equipment handling, measurement, marking, site assistance, and field safety under supervised conditions. The programme includes industrial attachment with surveying firms or on construction sites where students apply their skills in real surveying environments.

Graduates work as surveying assistants, field helpers, equipment carriers, and site assistants for surveying firms, construction companies, and government land departments. The qualification provides a foundation for progression to Land Surveying Level 5 and Level 6 for specialised surveying technology and land management roles.

This programme is suitable for KCSE certificate holders with a mean grade of E or KCPE certificate who are interested in field work and land measurement and seeking entry-level positions in the land surveying and construction sector.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 67,189
Private, up to: Ksh 99,550
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 2 months
Average class: 25 students
Award: Artisan Certificate

What you study

6 subjects

Land Surveying
Measurement Methods
Surveying Equipment
Mapping
Boundary Determination
Surveying Techniques

Modules

10 in the programme

Introduction to Land Surveying
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Overview of land surveying industry, measurement principles, and safety in surveying work.
Land Surveying
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Surveying principles, measurement systems, land surveying fundamentals, and basic survey concepts for entry-level land surveying support operations.
Measurement Methods
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Measurement techniques including distance measurement, angle measurement, chaining, taping, and basic area calculation for land surveying field work.
Surveying Equipment
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Surveying tools and measurement equipment including tapes, compasses, levels, staff, and basic surveying instrument handling and maintenance.
Mapping
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Map reading, map making, scale interpretation, contour understanding, and basic survey mapping techniques for land surveying documentation.
Boundary Determination
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Boundary identification, boundary marking, beacons, land boundary procedures, and basic cadastral surveying support for property determination.
Field Work
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Field techniques, data collection, survey field operations, equipment setup, and basic field assistance for land surveying fieldwork activities.
Computations
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Survey calculations, area computations, distance and angle calculations, volume calculations, and basic numerical processing for surveying data.
Workplace Safety
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Occupational health and safety, personal protective equipment, and safe working practices.
Entrepreneurship Skills
Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore
Basic business skills for self-employment including surveying services and business management.

Specialisations

Topographic Surveying
Specialisation in topographic surveying and land mapping including terrain measurement, contour surveying, and topographic data collection for land surveys.
Boundary Surveying
Focus on boundary determination and land boundary surveying including beacon placement, property line identification, and cadastral survey support.
Construction Surveying
Focus on construction surveying and building layout including site setting out, level transfer, and basic construction survey support for building projects.
Equipment Management
Basic survey equipment management including handling, cleaning, transport, and maintenance of survey instruments for field survey operations.

A day as a student

Students attend practical surveying sessions, theory classes, and field practice to gain hands-on land surveying skills.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing demand for land surveying staff in Kenya's construction and land management sectors.
Foundation for progression to specialised surveying careers and land management.
Opportunities for self-employment and entrepreneurship with surveying businesses.

Against it

Surveying work involves field work in various outdoor conditions.
Work requires mathematical skills and attention to detail.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 332 engineering courses

Public67k to 67k

67k at Baringo Technical College67k at Aldai Technical Training Institute

Private57k to 100k

57k at Vitech Training Institute100k at Regional Centre Training Institute

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

Public TVET 67,189/yr. Private: Vitech 57K, RCTI 99K/yr (vti.ac.ke, rcmrd.institute).

TVET funding available for eligible students. Some institutions offer bursaries based on financial need.

Funding options

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Funding

Scholarships

3 recorded

County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties, targeting orphans, learners from low-income households, students with disabilities, and vulnerable youth.
TVET Funding
Government fundingKenyan
Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited TVET institutions, based on financial need and programme requirements.
National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF)
BursaryKenyan
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds including low-income families, orphaned children, and persons with disabilities.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: E mean grade at KCSE
Alternative entry: Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) certificate or equivalent qualification. Adults with relevant experience may also apply.

How you are assessed

4 components

Trade Test
Exam100% of the mark
KNEC national examination for artisan certification in land surveying.
Surveying Projects
Project20% of the mark
Completion of surveying projects demonstrating measurement skills.
Theory Tests
Test40% of the mark
Written tests on surveying theory, measurement principles, and surveying techniques.
Continuous Practical Assessments
Practicum40% of the mark
Ongoing evaluation of practical skills in surveying sessions throughout the training period.

Accreditation

Accredited by Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA). 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.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Measurement Assistant
Medium demandKsh 28,000 to Ksh 50,000
Assist with land measurement and area calculations.
Survey Technician
Medium demandKsh 30,000 to Ksh 55,000
Support surveying operations and measurement activities.
Field Survey Worker
Medium demandKsh 31,000 to Ksh 56,000
Conduct field work, data collection, and survey measurements.
Land Surveying Assistant
Medium demandKsh 32,000 to Ksh 58,000
Assist with land measurement, boundary determination, and surveying operations.
Self-employed Surveying Service Provider
Medium demandKsh 27,000 to Ksh 60,000
Operate own surveying business providing measurement and surveying services.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work in land surveying, measurement, and construction across Kenya's construction and land management sectors.