Kenya’s government has launched a nationwide artisan certification programme that will give experienced construction workers formal qualifications at no cost. President William Ruto announced the initiative as part of a push to strengthen employment and support the country’s growing construction activity, including infrastructure and affordable housing work.
The programme uses Recognition of Prior Learning, or RPL, to certify people who already have practical skills but never received official paperwork. Under the plan, the government will fund the certification process, and workers will earn nationally recognized qualifications after completing competency assessments rather than returning to conventional classroom training.
Masonry is one of the targeted trades, alongside carpentry, plumbing, electrical installation, welding, painting, tiling, steel fixing, and mechanical services. For mason contractors, that matters because formal credentials often decide who gets hired, who qualifies for certain projects, and who meets procurement requirements when public work is involved.
Ruto said the certification programme closes a gap that has held many artisans back. Skilled workers can spend years on the job and still lose opportunities because they cannot show a recognized certificate when applying for jobs or government contracts. The government says formal certification will also support professional standards, workplace safety, and quality assurance across the construction industry.
The affordable housing programme remains a flagship project under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, with housing units under construction in different parts of the country. With that workload in motion, the government said demand for qualified artisans will rise. Registration and assessments will be rolled out through designated government channels across all counties, with the government covering associated costs.
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