Who is a petroleum craftsman?
A Petroleum craftsman is a craftsperson or a worker skilled in petroleum geosciences or closely related field. Geoscience is the scientific study of the earth and its composition including various minerals found within and how they can be explored and extracted. Petroleum is a mixture of hydrocarbons available in some earth’s rock strata and it can be extracted to produce various products such as; oil, paraffin and petrol among other products. Petroleum geoscience deals with exploration, extraction and production of oil and gas. Under the supervision of senior officers, the work of petroleum craftsmen revolves around exploration, extraction and production of oil and gas among other duties.

Other closely related title(s)

1. Petroleum clerk

What is the work environment?
Petroleum craftsmen work in various environments such as field, laboratory and office among others.

Some important skills to have
Petroleum craftsmen need to have some important skills and qualities in order to perform their duties effectively. Some of these skills and qualities include;

1. Analytical skills
2. Interpersonal skills
3. Communication skills
4. Physical stamina
5. Critical thinking skills
6. Among others

What are some career opportunities?
Petroleum craftsmen can find jobs in various organizations dealing with oil, gas and mining activities. Some of these include; oil and gas extraction companies, mining & quarrying establishments, learning institutions, government departments such as (ministry of mining and energy) among others.

With some experience in the industry, petroleum craftsmen can use their creativity and start their own businesses.

Becoming a petroleum craftsman

Minimum admission requirements
A Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), mean grade D (plain) and above is required.

Training & Study options
With a KCSE mean grade D (plain) and above, you can proceed to a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college and enroll for a relevant craft certificate course. Craft courses are also offered within Vocational Training Centers (VTCs) within your region.

What course(s) can you pursue in TVET colleges?

1. Craft certificate in petroleum geosciences
2. Or other similar/ related courses

Education Progression
Upon a successful completion of a craft certificate course, you can advance your education upward (in a relevant field) up to university level if you like. How is this possible?

1. Get a craft certificate
2. Advance to diploma certificate, (in a relevant field)
3. Advance to degree certificate, (in a relevant field)

How to Join TVET College.
There are two ways you can follow to join training institution(s) in pursuit of your career of choice. The majority way is applying through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (Kuccps). This is a state owned agency that admits/ places government sponsored students to TVET colleges and universities. One of the advantages of applying through Kuccps is that, upon successful placement, you will pay subsidized fee as a government sponsored student.

To be placed through Kuccps you must have attained a certain pass mark required for various education levels such as degrees, diplomas, certificates and artisan courses. For a craft certificate course, you need a minimum of KCSE mean grade D (plain) and above. For more details on placement criteria, visit Kuccps website. The second approach is applying directly to training institution of your choice. Students who opt to apply this way do not get government fee subsidy and are therefore self-sponsored.

How to fund your post-secondary education.
If you are a needy student, upon application, you can get education loan from Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), a state owned institution that gives education loans to students joining technical colleges and universities. You can also access education bursaries from your local Member of Parliament (MP) or the County Government among other sources.

Always remember this!
Information provided on this website is for career awareness only, and not for any other purpose.

Before you make any career choice, or commit yourself to any career or study option, be sure of what you are doing. It is advisable to seek professional advice from career advisors to navigate this very important process.

Need more information? We can provide you with additional career and education related information to meet your individual needs.