Kenya Industrial Training Institute

Kenya Industrial Training Institute (KITI) is a training Institute under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives situated in Nakuru town. It offers Industrial/ Entrepreneurship skills training for school leavers and skills upgrading for industrial workers and employees from SMEs & SMIs.

Kenya Industrial Training Institute (KITI) is the only Government Department under the Ministry of Industrialization and Enterprise Development offering training. It was established in 1965 with the support of the Japanese Government.

Initially, the institute was located in a 3-acre piece of land in Nakuru’s Industrial Area. However, due to needing for expansion, it was re-located to a 40-acre piece of land along Nakuru – Solai road, 3kms from Nakuru town.

KITI was mandated to give trainees hands-on training in technical skills with a strong component of entrepreneurship skills for self-employment.

The objectives are to train artisans, craftsmen, technicians, engineering graduates, engineers, and entrepreneurs to work in the existing industries and for self-employment; train middle-level managers for the industrial sector and carry out research in projects and products that would accelerate rural industrialization.

Over the years, the institute has kept to its mandate of training even though there have been adjustments in the training programs in order to respond to the changing needs of the customers. One such need was driven by the demand for nationally recognized certification for purposes of employment.

This led to mounting training programs examined by bodies such as Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) in addition to giving the desired hands-on training. The training programs vary between three months and three years.

However, the institute also offers shorter courses for specific groups or clients (tailor-made courses to meet clients’ training requirements).

The institute has 8 training departments most of which have adequate training space in form of workshops and classrooms.

These departments are:-

• Mechanical Engineering
• Building and Construction
• Electrical and Electronics Engineering
• Leather Technology
• Fashion Design and Clothing Technology
• Foods and Beverage
• Information Communications Technology
• Business Management and Entrepreneurship

Currently, the institute is under the management of The Director with the support of the Deputy Director, Senior Assistant Director, The Registrar, Dean of Students, Heads of Departments, and Heads of Sections. It has a Students’ Council vested with the responsibility of overseeing students’ affairs. However, to strengthen governance in preparation for moving to the SAGA status, a Board of Governors has been put in place.