Skip to content
Pathrel
Start free
All courses
Engineering

Certificate in Metal Processing Technology

The Certificate in Metal Processing Technology is a KNEC Craft Certificate programme that trains students in metal processing, foundry operations, and metallurgical skills for the manufacturing sector. The course is examined by KNEC and offered across accredited TVET institutions in Kenya. Students learn metal casting, forming, heat treatment, welding, quality control, and foundry operations.

Duration
2 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 42,600
Ksh 85,200 total
Job market
Moderate
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 42,600 a year at a public institution, Ksh 85,200 for the whole course.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of KCSE Mean Grade D (Plain) or above. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 2 years, full-time, with 3 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 3 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Auto Diagnostics Technician, at 3 out of 100.The detail

The programme

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

Overview

The curriculum covers communication skills, mathematics, science, technical drawing, information communication technology, entrepreneurship, and occupational safety. Core units include metal processing principles, foundry technology, metal casting, metal forming, heat treatment, metal testing, metallurgy, workshop safety, and industrial attachment in a foundry or metal processing workshop.

Kenya's manufacturing sector, including steel production, metal fabrication, automotive parts manufacturing, and construction materials, creates demand for certified metal processing personnel. Foundries, metal fabrication workshops, steel mills, and manufacturing companies require trained technicians for production and quality control operations.

Training combines classroom theory with practical sessions in foundry and workshop environments. Students practice metal casting, forming, heat treatment, testing, and equipment operation under supervised conditions. The programme includes industrial attachment in foundries or metal processing companies where students apply their skills in real manufacturing environments.

Graduates work as foundry technicians, metal processing assistants, quality control assistants, heat treatment technicians, and casting operators in foundries, steel mills, metal fabrication companies, and manufacturing plants. The qualification provides a foundation for progression to Diploma in Metallurgical Engineering for specialised metallurgy and materials engineering roles.

This programme is suitable for KCSE graduates with a mean grade of D (plain) who are interested in metal work and manufacturing and seeking technical positions in the metal processing and foundry sector.

What you study

8 subjects
  • Metal Processing Principles
  • Foundry Technology
  • Metal Casting
  • Heat Treatment
  • Metallurgy
  • Metal Testing
  • Metal Forming
  • Quality Control

Modules

10 in the programme

  • Introduction to Metal Processing

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Metal processing concepts, industry overview, and career opportunities in metallurgical and manufacturing industries.

  • Metal Processing Principles

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Principles of metal processing and manufacturing including casting, forming, machining, and fabrication fundamentals.

  • Foundry Technology

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Foundry operations, moulding, and casting including pattern making, sand preparation, melting, and pouring for metal casting.

  • Metal Casting

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Sand casting, die casting, and investment casting processes for producing metal components in foundry operations.

  • Heat Treatment

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Annealing, hardening, tempering, and heat treatment processes for improving metal properties and performance in manufacturing applications.

  • Metallurgy

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Metal properties, microstructure, and metallurgical science including crystal structures, phase diagrams, and material behaviour.

  • Metal Testing

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Mechanical testing, hardness testing, and metal analysis including tensile testing, impact testing, and non-destructive testing methods.

  • Metal Forming

    Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

    Rolling, forging, extrusion, and metal forming processes for shaping metal components in manufacturing operations.

  • Quality Control

    Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore

    Quality standards, inspection methods, and quality assurance procedures for metal processing and manufacturing operations.

  • Workshop Safety

    Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore

    Safety in foundry and metal processing environments including PPE, hazard control, and safe operating procedures.

Specialisations

  • Metal Forming

    Focus on rolling, forging, and forming processes for shaping metal components including press operations and forming technology.

  • Heat Treatment

    Specialisation in heat treatment processes including annealing, hardening, tempering, and surface treatment for improved metal properties.

  • Quality Control

    Specialisation in metal quality testing including mechanical testing, hardness testing, and non-destructive inspection methods.

  • Foundry Operations

    Focus on foundry and casting operations including moulding, melting, pouring, casting, and foundry quality control procedures.

A day as a student

Students attend theory on metallurgy and foundry technology, followed by workshop sessions in metal casting, heat treatment, metal forming, and quality testing.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's manufacturing sector needs metal processing personnel.Foundry work involves heat, molten metal, and fumes.
Specialised skills are valued by steel mills and foundries.Requires understanding of chemistry and metallurgy.
Clear pathway to diploma and degree in metallurgical engineering.—

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
Public34k to 43k
34k at Mathare VTC43k at Kisumu National Polytechnic

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

Mathare VTC 34.1K, Kisumu Poly 42.6K/yr (vtc.nairobi.go.ke, kenyaeducationguide.com).

TVET government funding and HELB loans are available. Steel mills sometimes offer internships.

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.

  • TVET Funding

    Government fundingKenyan

    Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited TVET institutions.

  • HELB TVET Loans

    LoanKenyan

    Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited TVET institutions.

  • National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF)

    BursaryKenyan

    Students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Scholarships you could apply for

1 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
KCSE Mean Grade D (Plain)minimum entry
Alternative entry

Artisan Certificate in a relevant field or equivalent qualification.

When it next starts

Taught at 3 institutions
January 20273 institutions

Including Nyeri National Polytechnic, Sigalagala National Polytechnic, Kiambu National Polytechnic.

May 20273 institutions

Including Nyeri National Polytechnic, Sigalagala National Polytechnic, Kiambu National Polytechnic.

September 20273 institutions

Including Nyeri National Polytechnic, Sigalagala National Polytechnic, Kiambu National Polytechnic.

How you are assessed

4 components

  • Final Certificate Examination

    Exam100% of the mark

    KNEC national examination for certificate in metal processing technology.

  • Continuous Assessment Tests

    Test20% of the mark

    Regular tests on metallurgy, casting, and processing.

  • Practical Workshop Exercises

    Practicum40% of the mark

    Hands-on assessment of casting, heat treatment, and metal processing.

  • Processing Project

    Project20% of the mark

    Complete a metal processing project from casting to finishing.

Accreditation

  • Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority

    NationalRequired

    Mandatory accreditation for all TVET institutions and programmes in Kenya.

  • Kenya National Examination Council

    NationalRequired

    Examining body for national certificate and craft certificate programmes under the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF).

Accredited by Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) and examined by Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) 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.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Quality Control Assistant

    Moderate demandKsh 44,000 to Ksh 82,000

    Support metal quality testing and inspection.

  • Foundry Technician

    Moderate demandKsh 48,000 to Ksh 92,000

    Support foundry operations and metal casting.

  • Heat Treatment Technician

    Low demandKsh 46,000 to Ksh 88,000

    Perform heat treatment on metal products.

  • Metal Processing Assistant

    Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 85,000

    Support metal processing and manufacturing operations.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as foundry technicians and metal processing assistants in steel mills, foundries, and metal manufacturing companies across Kenya.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Metal processing is just melting metal

    Metal processing involves metallurgy, casting, heat treatment, forming, and quality control — it's a technical field.

  • Limited career prospects

    Kenya's manufacturing sector needs trained metal processing personnel.

  • Metal work is dirty and dangerous

    Modern metal processing uses technology and safety standards — it's a professional field.

  • This programme has limited career opportunities.

    Graduates pursue diverse career paths across multiple sectors in Kenya and internationally.

Further reading

Read next