Across Kenya, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions are redefining education by integrating practical skills with entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable income generation. At Kandara Technical and Vocational College (Kandara TVC), this vision has become a reality through a vibrant Income Generating Activities (IGA) programme that not only supplements institutional revenue but also provides trainees with authentic workplace experience. Every project undertaken by the college reflects the philosophy that learning is most effective when students apply their knowledge to solve real-world challenges.
During the 2025–2026 academic year, three departments the Building and Civil Engineering Department, Institutional Management Department, and Mechanical Engineering Department recorded remarkable achievements that demonstrate the value of integrating training with enterprise. Their success has strengthened the college’s financial sustainability, expanded partnerships with educational institutions and industry, and enhanced the employability of trainees.
The Building and Civil Engineering Department has emerged as one of the college’s flagship enterprise units. Leveraging modern construction workshops and practical training facilities, the department successfully manufactured and supplied 820 square metres of high-quality concrete paving blocks to neighbouring TVET institutions. Of these, 600 square metres were supplied to Kigumo Technical and Vocational College, while 220 square metres were delivered to Mathioya Technical and Vocational College.
                             Figure 1: Cabro Making Machine, Kandara TVC
These projects provided trainees with invaluable practical experience in material testing, concrete mix design, hydraulic block pressing, curing processes, quality assurance, and project management. Working on commercial contracts enabled learners to appreciate production schedules, customer expectations, and professional standards, preparing them for future employment in the construction sector.
The department further strengthened its technical capacity through a strategic partnership with Murang’a University, enabling access to advanced material testing facilities. This collaboration has enhanced the quality of training by allowing trainees to undertake sophisticated tests such as compressive strength analysis, aggregate impact value testing, soil compaction analysis, and tensile strength testing. Beyond reducing operational costs, the partnership has promoted knowledge exchange and strengthened collaboration between TVET institutions and universities.
 Figure 2: Produced Cabro being dried before delivery to our clients’
The Institutional Management Department has equally demonstrated how practical training can be transformed into a sustainable business enterprise. Through its commercial bakery and catering unit, trainees have gained hands-on experience while providing quality products and services to both the college community and the public.
           Figure 3: Catherine Mwangi, Kandara TVC HOD IM holding breaks
The department operates a successful bakery specializing in custom-designed celebration cakes, pastries, and confectionery products for graduations, birthdays, institutional functions, and other events. These activities have enabled trainees to sharpen their culinary creativity while mastering food production, quality control, costing, marketing, and customer relations.
Figure 4: Kandara TVC Outside Catering Unit
The Mechanical Engineering Department has expanded its role beyond classroom instruction by offering technical consultancy and engineering services to educational institutions within Murang’a County. During the reporting period, the department successfully completed laboratory installation projects for Kiranga Junior Secondary School and Muruka Secondary School. These projects involved consultation, fabrication of laboratory workbenches, plumbing installations, water supply systems, drainage works, and laboratory fittings. Through these assignments, trainees acquired practical experience in fabrication, welding, plumbing, installation, and project execution while directly contributing to the improvement of science education infrastructure within the community.
Figure 5: Fabrication of laboratory workbenches in Muruka Secondary School
Looking ahead, Kandara TVC aims to scale up its Income Generating Activities by increasing production capacity, strengthening collaborations with universities and industry, expanding commercial services, and exploring new markets for products manufactured within the institution. Plans are also underway to establish a dedicated IGA management framework to coordinate marketing, quality assurance, financial management, and business development across all departments.
The achievements recorded during the 2025–2026 period demonstrate that Income Generating Activities are more than business ventures they are powerful learning platforms that bridge the gap between education and industry. By transforming workshops into centres of innovation and enterprise, Kandara Technical and Vocational College is producing graduates who are technically competent, entrepreneurial, and ready to contribute meaningfully to Kenya’s socio-economic development.