Via the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service, the government places students in various tertiary institutions around the country (KUCCPS).
The task depends on how well each student did in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam.
Students who scored a C+ or higher were assigned to various undergraduate degree courses, while those who scored a C or lower qualified for diploma programs.
D+ and D-level students are entitled to apply for certificate programs, whereas D- and E-level students can enroll in artisan programs.
You are qualified for funding through the Universities Fund and Higher Education Loans Board if you are enrolled in a course through KUCCPS (HELB).
One of the known outlet compiled a list of 153 artisan courses available for students who score D- and below in KCSE exams.
KUCCPS classifies the courses into the following clusters:
- Business; Building and Construction; Engineering and Technology; Food Science; Social Sciences; Applied Sciences; Information Technology; Hospitality, Hotel and Tourism; Clothing, Fashion and Textile; Agricultural Sciences; Natural Sciences;
- Technical Courses; Hair Dressing and Beauty Therapy; and Library and Information Sciences.
Artisan courses offered under the business cluster are; Storekeeping (2 options), Secretarial, Supply chain management and Office assistance level four.
KUCCPS offers the following artisan courses under building and construction; Building technology (2 options), Building construction technology, Masonry (3 options), Trade test masonry, Masonry level four and Grade 3 in masonry.
Under the Engineering and Technology programme, artisan courses available are; Electrical installation (5 options), Installation and electrical wire man, Electrical installation level four, Electrical and electronics technology, Electrical installation level three, Automotive engineering (2 options), and Motor vehicle mechanics.
Others include; Electrical engineering, Mechanical engineering, Electrical Wireman, Grade three electrical wireman, and Electrical wireman (3 options).
Students who are interested in Food sciences can take the following artisan courses; Food and beverage production sales and service, Craft in food and beverage, Food and beverage production, service and sales, Food and beverage (2 options), Food and beverage production and service (2 options).
Under the revised 2023 KUCCPS list, the following clusters do not offer artisan courses; Social Sciences, Applied Sciences, Hospitality, Hotel and Tourism and Natural Sciences.
Under Information Technology Cluster, KUCCPS offers only one artisan course in Information Communication Technology.
The clothing, Fashion and Textile cluster offers the following artisan courses; Fashion design and garment making (2 options), Design and garment making technology, Fashion and design, Garment making (3 options), Garment making and dressmaking, Dressmaking and tailoring, Trade test 3 in dressmaking, Trade test 3 in tailoring, Trade test 3 in garment making.
D- and E students passionate about agricultural courses are available for artisan courses in; Certificate in agribusiness and General Agriculture.
Artisan courses under Technical Courses are; Carpentry, Carpentry and joinery (2 options), Motor vehicle mechanics (4 options), Grade 3 in carpentry and joinery, Plumbing (3 options), and Plumbing works.
Others include; Plumbing and building services, Plumbing level four, Plumbing technology, NVCET in plumbing, Automotive vehicle mechanics, Welding and fabrication (4 options), Manual arc welding level four, and Trade test grade 3 in motor vehicle mechanics (2 options).
Under Hair Dressing and Beauty Therapy, courses offered are; Grade 3 in hairdressing and beauty therapy, Grade test 3 in hairdressing and beauty therapy, Grade 3 in hairdressing, Grade 3 hair and beauty therapy, Garde 3 hairdressing and beauty therapy (3 options).
Students can also apply for; Level 4 in hairdressing and beauty therapy, Trade test 3 in hairdressing and beauty therapy, NVCET in hairdressing and beauty therapy technology, NVCET hairdressing and beauty therapy and Trade test in beauty therapy.
Application for the various courses can only be done through the official KUCCPS website www(dot)kuccps(dot)net/