- President Ruto launched a free artisan certification programme to formally recognise skills acquired outside classrooms.
- Certified artisans will access employment opportunities under the Affordable Housing Programme and other infrastructure projects.
- The initiative aims to reduce unemployment, improve workplace safety, and enhance Kenya’s competitiveness regionally and internationally.
Thousands of skilled Kenyans in the informal sector are set to benefit from a government‑sponsored artisan certification programme unveiled by President William Ruto at State House on Thursday, July 23, 2026. The initiative seeks to formally recognise practical skills acquired outside classrooms and connect certified workers to employment opportunities under the Affordable Housing Programme.
President Ruto said the government has already allocated funds to ensure experienced artisans receive certification at no personal cost. He explained that workers will register through a designated system, undergo skills assessment, and then be awarded nationally recognised certificates fully financed by the State.
“We have a government programme and the funding is already available. If you are a skilled worker who already has the practical skills but does not have a certificate, we are ready to support you,” Ruto told artisans gathered in Nairobi.
The programme is expected to transform Kenya’s labour market by validating skills through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework. Masons, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, welders, painters, steel fixers, tilers, mechanics and other tradespeople stand to benefit from certification that will enhance employability, open access to government contracts, and improve earning potential.
For years, many of these professionals have built homes, schools, hospitals and commercial buildings but struggled to compete for formal jobs due to lack of recognised qualifications. The new programme bridges this gap, ensuring competence rather than classroom attendance determines access to opportunities.
The timing is critical as Kenya accelerates the Affordable Housing Programme, a flagship project under the Bottom‑Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Tens of thousands of jobs are expected to be created in construction, requiring certified artisans to deliver quality workmanship.
Beyond housing, the certification initiative will support broader infrastructure projects including roads, schools, health facilities and industrial parks. Employers stand to gain from a larger pool of verified professionals, reducing recruitment risks and raising industry standards.
ALSO READ:
KUPPET accuses TSC of poor pay deals, demands immediate CBA review with SRC
The facility features of the programme also reinforce government commitment to expanding Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), while recognising that apprenticeships, mentorship and years of practical experience remain vital pathways to skill acquisition. Labour experts believe the initiative could reduce unemployment by allowing informal workers to compete fairly for jobs that previously demanded academic qualifications.
Certification is also expected to strengthen workplace safety, encourage continuous professional development, and enhance Kenya’s competitiveness in regional and international labour markets where demand for skilled artisans continues to grow.
By removing financial barriers, the government ensures that talent, not economic status, determines access to opportunities. If implemented efficiently and transparently, the artisan certification programme could become a turning point for thousands of Kenyans whose expertise has long remained invisible to the formal labour market.
By Hillary Muhalya
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
