Business

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 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.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 67,189
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 Stock Receiving
Stock Storage
Stock Issuing
Basic Record Keeping
Stock Counting
Store Safety
Inventory Basics
Material Handling

Modules

8 in the programme

Store 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

Practical storekeeping skills for immediate employment.
Storekeeping skills are needed across all sectors.
Foundation for progression to certificate and diploma in supply chain.

Against it

Store work can be repetitive.
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 Friends College Kaimosi67k at Friends College Kaimosi

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 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 recorded

National 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.

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

Theory 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

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

Stock 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

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

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