Who is an archives craftsman?
An archives craftsman is a craftsperson or a worker skilled in archival science or closely related field. An archive is a collection of historical records, documents or information about a group of people, place or institution. Archival science deals with selection, organization and preservation of archives. Under the supervision of senior archives officers, archives craftsmen assist in processing, preservation and referencing of archives among other duties.

Other closely related title(s)

1. Archives assistant
2. Library assistant

What is the work environment?
Archives craftsmen work indoor; in archives libraries among other environments.

Some important skills to have
Archives craftsmen need to possess some important skills and qualities in order to perform optimally at the workplace. Some of these skills and qualities include;

1. Genuine interest in history and preservation of records
2. Good communication skills
3. Good research skills
4. Ability to understand a wide range of archives materials
5. Attention to detail and accuracy
6. Teamwork skills
7. Basic computer skills
8. Among others

What are some career opportunities?
Archives craftsmen can find employment opportunities in various places such as; cultural institutions like museums and art galleries, schools, colleges and universities, media organizations and government departments among others.

With work related experience, archives craftsmen can also use their skills and creativity to start their own businesses.

Becoming an archives 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 archives and information studies
2. Craft certificate in library archival studies
3. Craft certificate in library science
4. Craft certificate in library information studies
5. 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.