Career advice · Updated October 2026

NITA Industrial Attachment: How to Apply on ITAP and Land a Placement

For many university, TVET and college students in Kenya, industrial attachment is a required part of the course: no attachment, no graduation. Yet every term, thousands of students chase the same few placements in big companies and government agencies. This guide explains how industrial attachment works, how to apply through NITA’s online portal, what large employers ask for, and how to find a placement with smaller employers that many students overlook.

What industrial attachment is, and how it differs from an internship

The National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) describes its Industrial Attachment Programme as linking industry and institutions to place students in workplaces, so they gain practical skills and appropriate work ethics.

The key difference from an internship is timing. Attachment is for continuing students and forms part of the course, assessed by your institution. An internship is usually for people who have already finished their studies. If you have graduated, our guide to internships in Kenya is the one to read.

Applying through NITA’s ITAP portal

NITA runs an online system called ITAP (Industrial Training Attachment Portal). NITA’s own FAQ describes the process in one line: students apply through ITAP and must be verified by their institutions.

1. Get your institution’s details in order. Ask your attachment or industrial liaison office for your attachment dates, the introduction letter and any logbook or assessment forms. Your institution has to verify you on ITAP, so make sure your records there are correct.
2. Log in with eCitizen. The applicants’ side of ITAP opens through the government’s eCitizen single sign-on, so you need a working eCitizen account. Business Radar explains how to log in to eCitizen if you have trouble.
3. Fill in the application. Expect to give details such as your institution, course, preferred attachment period and preferred locations. Choose realistic towns: placements near home or near your college are easier to take up.
4. Have your insurance ready. Many employers will not take a student without personal accident cover for the whole attachment. Ask your college whether it provides group cover, and keep the policy document as a PDF.
5. Wait for your institution to verify you, then track your application in the portal.

NITA’s FAQ answers “How long does it take one to be attached?” with “One week.” Treat ITAP as one channel, not the only one, and keep applying directly to employers while you wait.

What big employers ask for: the Kenya Power example

Large employers run their own attachment intakes and advertise them months ahead. Kenya Power’s September to November 2026 intake notice is a good example of what to expect. It required applicants to:

• be available full time for the whole attachment, which was capped at three months;
• be a continuing student in a degree, diploma or craft certificate in the listed fields, at an accredited institution;
• have a valid introduction letter from their institution;
• have valid personal accident insurance cover for the whole attachment period.

Applications closed on 27 July 2026, more than a month before the attachment began, and the notice said there were no vacancies for ICT courses in that intake. Two lessons follow. Watch the careers pages of the employers you want from at least two months before your attachment period. And read each notice for the courses it accepts, because intakes are often limited to particular fields.

Pitch small and medium employers

Plenty of placements sit in small and medium businesses: workshops, clinics, accounting firms, hotels, county offices, NGOs and agribusinesses. These employers rarely advertise. You have to ask.

One fact helps your pitch. NITA tells employers that it pays employers for offering attachment places to students. Its levy inspectorate page lists “industrial attachment opportunities and grants to attaching employers” among the benefits of being a levy-compliant employer. The industrial training levy is KSh 50 per employee per month, paid by the employer, not deducted from staff pay. According to NITA’s FAQ, reimbursement grants are paid after the attachment is completed successfully and the employer submits an assessment form.

So when you write to a small employer, mention that if they are registered and up to date with the NITA levy, they may qualify for an attachment grant. Many owners do not know this.

How to approach them

1. Make a list of 20 to 30 employers in your field within reach of where you will stay.
2. Write a short, specific letter naming your course, your dates, two or three tasks you can help with, and your insurance cover. Our free attachment letter generator builds one in the right format.
3. Attach a one-page CV. Our CV builder has a student layout; put projects, practicals and relevant units first.
4. Deliver it in person where you can, and ask to see the person who supervises the work, not just the reception desk.
5. Follow up after a week. A polite call or visit often turns a “we’ll see” into a yes.

During the attachment

• Keep your logbook up to date every day. Your institution assesses it, and the employer may need to sign it.
• Ask about pay before you start. Many attachments are unpaid; some employers pay a stipend or transport. Get any promise in writing.
• Treat it as a long interview. Supervisors from attachment often become your first referees, and some employers hire former attachés.
• Ask for a recommendation letter on your last week, while your work is fresh in your supervisor’s mind.

Avoid attachment scams

Fake “attachment opportunities” asking for a registration or placement fee circulate every term, especially on WhatsApp. Genuine employers do not charge students to be attached, and NITA’s application is through its own portal. If something asks you to pay, check it with our fake job advert checker first.

Key takeaways

• Industrial attachment is for continuing students; internships are usually for graduates.
• Apply on NITA’s ITAP portal through eCitizen, and make sure your institution verifies you.
• Big employers advertise intakes months ahead and ask for an introduction letter and personal accident cover.
• Levy-compliant employers can receive NITA attachment grants, which is a useful point when pitching small businesses.
• Never pay anyone for an attachment placement.

When you finish your course, move on to our first job after university guide and the internship application letter generator.

Frequently asked questions

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