Business

Craft in Entrepreneurship

The Craft Certificate in Entrepreneurship is a KNEC Craft Certificate programme that trains students in business management, enterprise development, and entrepreneurial skills. The course is examined by KNEC and offered across accredited TVET institutions in Kenya. Students learn business setup, stock management, customer handling, cash handling, marketing, pricing, and business compliance.

The curriculum covers communication skills, mathematics, information communication technology, and occupational safety. Core units include basic business setup, stock management, workplace safety and ethics, customer handling, cash handling, basic marketing, business compliance basics, product pricing, and industrial attachment in a small business or entrepreneurial environment.

Kenya's promotion of entrepreneurship through youth enterprise funds, women enterprise funds, and SME support programmes creates demand for certified entrepreneurship personnel. Small businesses, retail enterprises, service businesses, and family enterprises require trained personnel with business management and entrepreneurial skills.

Training combines classroom theory with practical sessions in simulated business environments. Students practice business setup, stock management, customer handling, cash handling, marketing, and pricing under supervised conditions. The programme includes industrial attachment in small businesses or entrepreneurial ventures where students apply their skills in real business environments.

Graduates work as small business managers, retail shop assistants, market traders, family business assistants, and enterprise development assistants or establish their own small businesses. The qualification provides a foundation for progression to Diploma in Business Management and Entrepreneurship for specialised business management and enterprise development roles.

This programme is suitable for KCSE graduates with a mean grade of D (plain) who are interested in business and self-employment and seeking to start or manage small business operations in the entrepreneurial and micro-enterprise sector.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 67,189
Private, up to: Ksh 60,000
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: 30 students
Award: Certificate

What you study

8 subjects

Basic Business Setup
Simple Bookkeeping
Customer Handling
Product Pricing
Basic Marketing
Business Compliance Basics
Stock Management
Cash Handling

Modules

9 in the programme

Workplace Safety and Ethics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Business ethics, workplace safety, and professional conduct including customer relations, honesty, and safe business practices.
Basic Business Setup
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Steps to start a small business including registration, licensing basics, and initial setup requirements for micro-enterprise establishment.
Simple Bookkeeping
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Recording business income and expenses, and maintaining simple financial records.
Customer Handling
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Engaging customers, handling inquiries, and providing service including customer communication, complaint handling, and sales support.
Product Pricing
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Calculating costs, setting prices, and understanding profit margins including costing methods and pricing strategies for small businesses.
Basic Marketing
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Simple marketing techniques for small businesses including local promotion, customer attraction, and basic marketing communication.
Business Compliance Basics
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Basic licensing, permits, and regulatory requirements for small businesses including business registration and compliance procedures.
Stock Management
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Managing inventory, tracking stock, and reordering supplies for small business operations including stock counting and reorder procedures.
Cash Handling
Year 3Semester 36 creditsCore
Handling cash transactions, managing float, and basic cash security including reconciliation, receipting, and cash management procedures.

Specialisations

Family Business Management
Specialisation in managing and growing family businesses including succession planning, roles, and family enterprise operations.
Service Business
Specialisation in service-based micro-enterprises including service delivery, customer management, and small service business operations.
Market Trading
Focus on market-based trading businesses including stall management, produce sourcing, and market trading operations for self-employment.
Retail Business
Focus on starting and operating retail/shop businesses including stock management, customer service, and small retail operations.

A day as a student

Students spend time in practical business exercises — calculating prices, keeping simple records, handling mock customers, and developing basic business plans. Market visits provide real-world exposure to small business operations.

The trade offs

In its favour

Practical skills for starting and running small businesses.
Affordable programme with quick entry to self-employment.
Foundation for progression to certificate and diploma in entrepreneurship.

Against it

Small business income can be variable and uncertain initially.
Less theoretical foundation than full certificate programmes.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 331 business courses

Public67k to 67k

67k at TVET public colleges67k at TVET public colleges

Private60k to 60k

60k at Kabarak TVET Institute60k at Kabarak TVET 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 67K/yr (standard TVET). Pvt Kabarak TVET 60K/yr (tvet.kabarak.ac.ke).

TVET government funding, HELB loans, and enterprise funds are available for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Funding options

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Funding
Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) - TVET Loans
Youth Enterprise Development Fund

Scholarships

4 recorded

HELB TVET Loans
LoanKenyan
Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited TVET institutions, based on financial need.
Women Enterprise Fund
LoanKenyan
Kenyan women starting or operating businesses.
TVET Funding
Government fundingKenyan
Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited TVET institutions, based on financial need.
Youth Enterprise Development Fund
LoanKenyan
Kenyan youth aged 18-35 years starting or operating businesses.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: KCSE Mean Grade D (Plain)
Alternative entry: Artisan Certificate in a relevant field or equivalent qualification.

How you are assessed

3 components

Business Plan Project
Project30% of the mark
Develop a simple business plan for a small venture.
Competency-Based Practical Assessment
Practicum50% of the mark
TVET-CDACC competency assessment of practical business skills.
Theory Assessment
Test20% of the mark
Written assessment of supporting business 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

TVET Curriculum Development Assessment and Certification Council
NationalRequired
Examining and certifying body for competency-based programmes under the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF).
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

4 roles

Market Trader
High demandKsh 20,000 to Ksh 80,000
Operate a trading business in local markets with proper record keeping.
Small Business Owner
High demandKsh 25,000 to Ksh 150,000
Start and operate a small business venture.
Business Assistant
Moderate demandKsh 30,000 to Ksh 55,000
Support small business operations including sales, records, and stock management.
Family Business Operator
Moderate demandKsh 28,000 to Ksh 100,000
Manage and grow a family business using formal business skills.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates start small businesses, work in family businesses, or support micro-enterprises across Kenya.