Career paths · 3 min read
NITA trade test in Kenya: grades, booking dates and why employers ask
What the Government Trade Test is, the three grades, when each series runs and when to book, and where the certificate is required.
Many technical adverts in Kenya ask for a Government Trade Test certificate, often called a trade test or GTT. It is issued by the National Industrial Training Authority and proves you can do the practical work of a trade. Here is how the testing works, based on NITA's own description.
What the trade test is
NITA is mandated under the Industrial Training Act to test artisans and apprentices and issue certificates to those who pass. A test gives you a technical drawing and a task to produce, so the examiner judges what you can make, not what you can write about.
Testing takes place in over 500 institutions and workplaces approved as testing centres across the country. NITA says it registers about 50,000 trade test candidates a year.
The grades and when they run
- Grade III is the entry level. NITA says over 39,000 candidates take it each year.
- April series: grades I, II and III. Booking runs from 2 January to 2 March.
- August series: grades II and I.
- December series: grade III.
You book with the prescribed booking form at a NITA booking outlet, and NITA checks your supporting documents against the minimum requirements in its booking guidelines before you are registered.
Where the certificate is asked for
- Construction: the National Construction Authority lists a NITA trade test at grade III or above among the requirements for accreditation as a skilled worker.
- Kenya Defence Forces: KDF's notices ask certificate holders applying as tradesmen for Government Trade Test Grade II or Craft II.
- Workshops, garages and factories: adverts for welders, electricians, plumbers and mechanics often name the grade they expect.
Keep the certificate safe
Results are sent to the contact address you give on the booking form, so use one that will still reach you. Replacing a lost or defaced certificate means proving it matches NITA's records and paying a replacement fee, which NITA lists as KSh 5,000.
Keep a scan and quote the certificate number and grade on your CV.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a NITA trade test?
A practical test run by the National Industrial Training Authority that leads to a Government Trade Test certificate in grade III, II or I.
When are NITA trade tests done?
In April for grades I, II and III, in August for grades II and I, and in December for grade III. Booking for April runs from 2 January to 2 March.
Which jobs ask for a trade test?
Construction accreditation with NCA asks for grade III or above, and KDF tradesmen with a certificate need Grade II. Many workshop and technician adverts also ask for it.