Heavy machinery and plant operator course is one of the most marketable courses in Kenya at the moment. One can enroll for a diploma or certificate course at a local college. It’s a program you can enroll with a D plain and end up earning over Ksh100k per month. It takes 6 months to 1 years to pursue the program and graduate
Heavy machinery tools are used in construction sites, borehole drilling, in industries, dam construction and road construction. Nowadays people don’t carry goods on their heads or at their back in warehouse, they use heavy machineries. If you know how to operate those machineries, getting a job is easy. You should not only know how to drive but also how to repair them.
Research shows that heavy machinery and plant operator course graduates are 90% to 100% likely to secure employment within 6 months of graduation. The competition for jobs is also low. In the country there are less than 3,000 graduates of this particular course and most of them are now employed.
Best institutions for Heavy machinery and plant operator course and admission requirements in Kenya
Sensei Institute of Technology
Course Title: Plant Operator
Admission Requirement—At least KCSE certificate
Fee—Ksh 80,000 to Ksh 120,000
Lake Naivasha Institute
Course Title: Heavy Machinery Operator
Admission Requirement: Minimum D plain in KCSE
Fee—Ksh 70,000 to Ksh110,000
Kilimambogo Highways Building & Technology
List of courses: Advanced plant operator course, Concrete Mixer, Paver and Vibrator course, Borehole drilling and stone cutting course.
Admission Requirements: At least D –(Minus)in KCSE
Fee—Ksh 145,000 to 170,000
Kenya Institute of Highways & Building Technology
Heavy Machinery & Plant Operator
Admission Requirements: At least D plain in KCSE
Fee—Ksh 90,000 to Ksh 150,000
International Plant Machinery Technical Training Institute
Courses: Plant Operator, Plant Mechanics
Admission Requirements: At least D- in KCSE
Fee—Ksh 85,000 to Ksh 140,000
ICS Technical College
Course: Plant Operator
Admission Requirement: plain and above
Fee—Ksh 75,000 to Ksh 130,000
Chances of getting a job in Kenya with heavy machinery training
There are plenty of jobs for heavy machinery graduates. The best thing to do is send blind applications to industries and companies which own heavy machineries. It takes 3-6 months to secure employment.
Most of these jobs are not permanent. You can be hired to operate a machine on daily basis where you are paid Ksh 1,000 to Ksh 5,000 per day depending on the type of machine to operate. Stable industries may give you long term contract where they pay monthly.
You can also buy your own machine and get hired whenever work arises. Buy borehole drilling machines, construction machines and excavators. Since you know how to operate them, running costs will be low.
Salary of Heavy Machine Operators in Kenya
Those hired daily are paid Ksh 1,000 to Ksh 5,000. The ones hired on long-term basis get paid Ksh 45,000 to Ksh 90,000 per month. If you work for more than 5 years in a company, your monthly salary will be above Ksh 70,000.
International companies pay the highest salaries. Those are mostly companies given contract to build roads, dams or any other big project in the country. They pay Ksh 120,000 to Ksh 250,000 monthly.
Other marketable related courses
- Automobile Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical and electronics Engineering
- Building and Construction
- Plumbing
- Masonry