Route 1: TVET Colleges and National Polytechnics
Two national polytechnics show how college training works. Both are on TVETA's list of accredited institutions. The automotive courses below are examined by TVET CDACC, the council set up under the TVET Act of 2013 to develop curricula and to assess and certify competence.
- The Kisumu National Polytechnic lists six-month Level 4 courses in Engine Mechanics, Automotive Technician and Autobody Repair (KCSE D-). It also lists Automotive Engineering Level 5 (KCSE D, one year) and Level 6 (KCSE C-, two years).
- Sigalagala National Polytechnic lists Automotive Engineering Level 5 (KCSE D plain, five terms) and Level 6 (KCSE C-, seven terms), with intakes in January, May and September.
Entry grades and course lengths vary between colleges, so check the current prospectus. For Government-sponsored places, KUCCPS selects students for national polytechnics, technical training institutes and other accredited institutions. It does not currently place students in private colleges. HELB offers TVET loans, scholarships and bursaries, and first-time applications for 2026/2027 were open at the time of writing.
In a public notice dated 27 February 2026, TVETA warned about certificates from institutions without a legal mandate to assess and award qualifications. It calls them "internal certificates" and says they are not recognised for employment, further study or licensing in Kenya. Check an institution's status on TVETA's website before you enrol or pay assessment fees.
Route 2: NITA Courses and Trade Tests
Under the Industrial Training Act, the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) tests artisans and issues certificates. Its trade tests are graded III, II and I. More than 500 institutions and workplaces are approved as testing centres.
- Test calendar: April (Grades I, II and III, with booking from 2 January to 2 March), August (Grades II and I) and December (Grade III only).
- Certificates: NITA says certificates are released six months after the test. Replacing a lost certificate issued since 2011 costs Ksh 5,000, so keep yours safe.
- Courses at NITA centres: NITA Nairobi and NITA Kisumu list Motor Vehicle Mechanics craft courses in three levels (Preliminary, Intermediate and Final) for holders of KCSE D- or equivalent. NITA Mombasa lists a one-year Motor Vehicle Mechanics artisan course with three months' attachment, open to KCPE holders or anyone aged 16 or over.
Route 3: Already a Fundi? Get Your Skills Recognised
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assesses skills gained on the job against industry standards and gives them formal recognition. TVET CDACC runs RPL at assessment centres, limited to certificate level. The result is either "Competent" or "Not Yet Competent". NITA also uses RPL to certify skilled workers who lack formal qualifications, and its website links RPL applications to its eCitizen portal. CDACC lists portfolios and projects among its assessment methods, so start keeping photos and notes of the jobs you complete.
What Garages and Employers Look For
Be ready for a practical test, and be ready to show:
- Diagnosis, not parts-swapping: reading fault codes with a scan tool, then confirming the fault before you replace anything.
- The everyday jobs: servicing, brakes, suspension and steering, cooling systems and basic auto-electrics.
- A valid driving licence: road-testing a customer's car means driving on a public road. The Traffic Act requires a valid licence for that class of vehicle.
- Proof of your work: certificates, a photo log of jobs, and references from garages you have worked with.
- Workshop habits: a tidy bay, care with customers' cars and honest quotes.
Public-sector adverts spell out the paperwork. In September 2026, for example, the County Government of Nyeri advertised a Plant Mechanic III post. The advert asked for KCSE D+ and a Grade III national trade test certificate in plant mechanics, an apprenticeship certificate, or an equivalent. It also asked for at least one year's experience and copies of documents.
Pay: The 2026 Legal Floor
The General Wages Order has no occupation called "mechanic". Entry-level service-bay work falls under the vehicle service worker group. The Order defines a vehicle service worker as someone mainly or partly engaged in lubricating vehicles, repairing tyres and tubes, charging batteries and operating petrol pumps. work.ke's 2026 minimum wage tables give these figures for the group:
| Area | Monthly (Ksh) | Hourly (Ksh) |
|---|---|---|
| Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret cities | 23,350.21 | 209.54 |
| All former municipalities and the town councils of Mavoko, Ruiru and Limuru | 21,844.12 | 175.65 |
| All other areas | 17,859.17 | 161.34 |
The monthly amounts exclude housing allowance. Monthly-paid staff without free housing get an extra 15% of the basic minimum wage under the Order. The corrected June 2026 schedule states that the daily and hourly rates include housing allowance. These are legal minimums, not typical earnings.
The table also has artisan groups. The Order defines an "ungraded artisan" as someone who does simple repairs and maintenance with reasonable proficiency but holds no trade test certificate. It sets separate, higher minimums for Artisan Grades III, II and I.
Where to Find Current Vacancies
- See current mechanic and maintenance vacancies on work.ke. The page picks roles by job title, so hands-on mechanic posts can sit next to mechanical engineering roles. Read each advert to check it fits your level.
- For plant, maintenance and other technical posts, also check work.ke's engineering jobs page. It becomes more useful once you hold a Level 6 or diploma-level qualification.
Every work.ke listing links to the employer's original advert, and you apply there. work.ke never charges job seekers.
Running Your Own Garage?
List your workshop on FixMyCar so car owners looking for a mechanic can find you.
Add Your Listing →Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. NITA Mombasa's Motor Vehicle Mechanics artisan course is open to KCPE holders or anyone aged 16 or over. The Level 4 courses at The Kisumu National Polytechnic ask for KCSE D-.
NITA trade tests (Grades III to I) assess an artisan's practical skills in a trade under the Industrial Training Act. TVET CDACC assesses and certifies the competency-based courses taught at TVET institutions, such as the automotive levels above. Check which one an advert asks for.
It depends on the route. The Kisumu National Polytechnic lists six months for Level 4 and two years for Level 6. NITA Mombasa's artisan course runs one year plus three months' attachment.
Sources
All sources were checked on 26 September 2026.
- The Kisumu National Polytechnic: Mechanical and Automotive Engineering department (course codes AUE6, AUE5, ATG4, AUR4 and EME4, with entry grades, durations and TVET-CDACC as examining body). https://kisumupoly.ac.ke/mechanical-and-automotive-engineering/
- Sigalagala National Polytechnic: Mechanical and Automotive Engineering (Automotive Engineering Levels 5 and 6, entry grades, terms, intakes, CDACC). https://www.sigalagalapoly.ac.ke/maed
- TVETA: Accredited TVET institutions list (includes The Kisumu National Polytechnic and The Sigalagala National Polytechnic). https://www.tveta.go.ke/accredited-tvet-institutions/
- TVETA: Public notice of 27 February 2026, "Caution on the Issuance of Unrecognized Certificates/Qualifications in Kenya". https://www.tveta.go.ke/caution-on-the-issuance-of-unrecognized-certificates-qualifications-in-kenya/ (PDF: https://www.tveta.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Public-Notice.pdf)
- TVET CDACC: home page (established under the TVET Act No. 29 of 2013; mandate for curricula, assessment and certification). https://tvetcdacc.go.ke/
- TVET CDACC: Competence assessment and RPL (portfolios and projects; RPL limited to certificate level; "Competent"/"Not Yet Competent"). https://tvetcdacc.go.ke/service/competence-assessment/
- KUCCPS: home page (placement for Government-sponsored programmes; no placement to private colleges). https://kuccps.ac.ke/
- HELB: TVET loans, scholarships and bursaries; 2026/2027 first-time applications open. https://www.helb.co.ke/ and https://www.helb.co.ke/helb-products/helb-loans/tvet-loans/
- NITA: Trade Testing (Industrial Training Act mandate, 500+ testing centres, April/August/December series, booking 2 January to 2 March, Ksh 5,000 replacement). https://www.nita.go.ke/our-services/trade-testing.html
- NITA: FAQs (certificates released six months after the test; Ksh 5,000 replacement for certificates since 2011). https://www.nita.go.ke/faq-s.html
- NITA Nairobi, NITA Kisumu and NITA Mombasa training centre pages (Motor Vehicle Mechanics courses and entry requirements). https://www.nita.go.ke/training-centres/nita-nairobi.html, https://www.nita.go.ke/training-centres/nita-kisumu.html, https://www.nita.go.ke/training-centres/nita-mombasa.html
- NITA: news item on RPL for the informal sector, plus the "RPL Application" link to https://nita.ecitizen.go.ke on NITA's site. https://www.nita.go.ke/news/NITA/378-nita-explores-collaboration-on-rpl-and-apprenticeship-training-for-the-informal-sector.html
- County Government of Nyeri: External advert, September 2026 (Plant Mechanic III, Job Group D, requirements). https://www.nyeri.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/EXTERNAL-ADVERT-SEPTEMBER-2026-2.pdf
- Kenya Law: Traffic Act (Cap. 403), s. 30(1). https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/1953/39/eng@2024-04-26
- work.ke: Minimum wage in Kenya, 2026 tables ("vehicle service worker", group 5). https://work.ke/salaries/minimum-wage-kenya
- Kenya Law: Legal Notice 108 of 2026 (26 June 2026; group 5 figures identical; daily and hourly rates inclusive of housing allowance). https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/ln/2026/108/eng@2026-06-26
- Kenya Law: Regulation of Wages (General) Order, consolidated to 26 June 2026 (para 4, 15% housing allowance; definitions of "vehicle service worker" and "ungraded artisan"; the Schedule lists "vehicle service worker (petrol and service stations)"). https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/ln/1982/120/eng@2026-06-26
- work.ke: Mechanical maintenance jobs (roles "selected from the role title"), Engineering jobs, and Terms (every listing links to the original advert; never charges job seekers). https://work.ke/jobs/mechanics, https://work.ke/jobs/engineering, https://work.ke/terms