Overview
The National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) is mandated under Kenya's Industrial Training Act to test artisans and apprentices and issue certificates to those who pass. A trade test checks the skills of an artisan or apprentice in a given trade. NITA sets a test guideline for the trade, and a test paper gives a working technical drawing and the item the candidate must produce by the end of the test. NITA reports about 50,000 trade test registrations a year, plus about 400 apprentices.
Levels or stages
Trade tests are taken at Grade I, Grade II and Grade III. NITA reports over 39,000 Grade III candidates a year.
Exam pattern
Testing is done at approved testing centres, with examiners drawn from NITA's database working under NITA technical staff. NITA says it has over 500 approved testing institutions and workplaces, of which only 5 are currently used for testing. A testing round lasts about two weeks.
Important dates
NITA states that testing is held three times a year:
April: Grades I, II and III. Booking runs from 2 January to 2 March each year.
August: Grades II and I.
December: Grade III.
Check NITA's announcements for the exact dates of each series.
How to apply
Candidates book for testing using NITA's prescribed booking form at NITA booking outlets across the country. NITA checks the information against the supporting documents and the minimum requirements in the booking form guidelines.
After the exam
Examiners submit results to NITA, which verifies and enters them in its database and posts the results to each candidate at the contact address on the booking form. A lost or defaced certificate can be replaced on request and payment of a replacement fee of Ksh 5,000, as listed on the NITA site in 2026.
FAQs
What grades does the NITA Trade Test use?
Grade III, Grade II and Grade I. Grade III is tested in December and April, and Grades II and I in April and August.
How many times a year is the trade test held?
Three times: April, August and December.