Craft in Storekeeping
The Craft Certificate in Storekeeping is a KNEC Craft Certificate programme that trains students in store operations, inventory management, and warehouse management skills. The course is examined by KNEC and offered across accredited TVET institutions in Kenya. Students learn stock counting, stock receiving, record keeping, stock storage, store safety, stock issuing, and material handling.
The short answer
- What it costs
- Up to Ksh 67,189 a year at a public institution, Ksh 134,378 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 2 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 119 institutions.The detail
- Where it leads
- 8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Forensic Audit Investigator, at 17 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, information communication technology, entrepreneurship, and occupational safety. Core units include stock counting, basic stock receiving, basic record keeping, stock storage, store safety, stock issuing, inventory basics, material handling, and industrial attachment in a store, warehouse, or inventory management environment.
Kenya's manufacturing, retail, and distribution sectors create demand for certified storekeeping personnel. Warehouses, retail stores, manufacturing companies, government departments, and logistics firms require trained storekeepers for inventory management, stock control, and warehouse operations.
Training combines classroom theory with practical sessions in store and warehouse environments. Students practice stock receiving, counting, storing, issuing, record keeping, and material handling under supervised conditions. The programme includes industrial attachment in stores or warehouses where students apply their skills in real inventory management environments.
Graduates work as storekeepers, stock controllers, warehouse assistants, inventory assistants, and store records clerks in manufacturing companies, retail stores, warehouses, government departments, and logistics firms. The qualification provides a foundation for progression to Diploma in Supply Chain Management for specialised inventory management and supply chain roles.
This programme is suitable for KCSE graduates with a mean grade of D (plain) who are interested in store operations and inventory management and seeking technical positions in warehousing and storekeeping environments.
What you study
8 subjects- Basic Stock Receiving
- Stock Storage
- Stock Issuing
- Basic Record Keeping
- Stock Counting
- Store Safety
- Inventory Basics
- Material Handling
Modules
8 in the programmeStore Safety
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Safety in stores and warehouses including safe lifting, stacking, fire safety, and personal protective equipment for store operations.
Basic Stock Receiving
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Receiving deliveries and checking goods including quantity verification, quality inspection, and goods receipt documentation.
Stock Storage
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Organising and storing stock properly including shelving, stacking, labelling, and storage location management for efficient stores.
Stock Issuing
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Issuing stock to departments and recording issues including issue authorisation, stock picking, and issue documentation.
Basic Record Keeping
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Maintaining stock records and ledgers including stock cards, goods received notes, issue vouchers, and basic inventory documentation.
Stock Counting
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Stock taking and physical inventory counting including cycle counts, stock verification, and discrepancy reporting for store operations.
Inventory Basics
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Basic inventory management principles including stock levels, reorder points, ABC analysis, and simple inventory control methods.
Material Handling
Year 3Semester 26 creditsCore
Safe handling of materials in stores including manual handling, trolley use, stacking procedures, and material transport safety.
Specialisations
Warehouse Operations
Focus on warehouse management including material handling, storage organisation, and basic warehouse operations for efficient stores.
General Storekeeping
General store operations support including stock receiving, material handling, cleaning, and routine assistance to storekeepers.
Store Records
Focus on store record keeping including stock cards, goods received notes, issue vouchers, and basic inventory documentation.
Stock Control
Specialisation in inventory control including stock counting, reorder management, and basic stock level monitoring for store operations.
A day as a student
Students spend most of their time in practical sessions — receiving stock, organising storage, issuing materials, keeping records, counting stock, and maintaining store organisation.
The trade-offs
| In its favour | Against it |
|---|---|
| Practical storekeeping skills for immediate employment. | Store work can be repetitive. |
| Storekeeping skills are needed across all sectors. | Less theoretical foundation than full certificate programmes. |
| Foundation for progression to certificate and diploma in supply chain. | — |
What it costs
Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.
What it costs, and where
Against 331 business coursesAnnual 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 67K/yr (jitimu.com Friends College Kaimosi). Private: unverified.
TVET government funding and HELB loans are available.
Funding options
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Funding
Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) - TVET Loans
Scholarships
4 recordedNational Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF)
BursaryKenyan
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
HELB TVET Loans
LoanKenyan
Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited TVET institutions.
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties.
TVET Funding
Government fundingKenyan
Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited TVET institutions.
Scholarships you could apply for
1 usable where it is taught- Moringa School Craftbyte Scholarship
QuarterlyFullMoringa School
Full software development course
Getting in
The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.
What you need
Artisan Certificate in a relevant field or equivalent qualification.
When it next starts
Taught at 119 institutionsIncluding Baringo National Polytechnic, Kibra Technical and Vocational College, Machakos Town Technical and Vocational College.
Including Baringo National Polytechnic, Kibra Technical and Vocational College, Machakos Town Technical and Vocational College.
Including Baringo National Polytechnic, Kibra Technical and Vocational College, Machakos Town Technical and Vocational College.
How you are assessed
3 componentsTheory Assessment
Test20% of the mark
Written assessment of supporting storekeeping knowledge.
Store Projects
Project30% of the mark
Completion of stock management and record keeping projects.
Competency-Based Practical Assessment
Practicum50% of the mark
TVET-CDACC competency assessment of practical storekeeping skills.
Accreditation
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).
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.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesStock Controller
Moderate demandKsh 38,000 to Ksh 65,000
Control stock levels and monitor inventory.
Warehouse Assistant
High demandKsh 33,000 to Ksh 56,000
Support warehouse operations and material handling.
Storekeeping Assistant
Moderate demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 60,000
Support store operations and stock management.
Stores Clerk
Moderate demandKsh 36,000 to Ksh 62,000
Maintain store records and manage stock issues.
Graduate outcomes
Graduates work as storekeeping assistants and stock controllers in businesses, warehouses, and manufacturing companies across Kenya.
Where these fields lead
8 careers- Forensic Audit InvestigatorBusiness17Low exposure
- Franchise Operations ManagerBusiness18Low exposure
- Infrastructure Finance SpecialistBusiness18Low exposure
- Intermodal Reefer TechnicianBusiness18Low exposure
- Climate Risk UnderwriterBusiness19Low exposure
- Coldchain Logistics ManagerBusiness19Low exposure
- Municipal Finance SpecialistBusiness19Low exposure
- Islamic Banking SpecialistBusiness20Low exposure
Certifications
Industry links
Common misconceptions
Craft storekeeping is not a real qualification
It is a TVET-CDACC certified qualification recognised by employers.
Storekeeping doesn't need training
Proper storekeeping requires knowledge of inventory, records, safety, and material handling.
Craft graduates cannot advance
Craft graduates can progress to certificate, diploma, and degree in supply chain management.
This programme has limited career opportunities.
Graduates pursue diverse career paths across multiple sectors in Kenya and internationally.