Who is a tour guide craftsman?
A tour guide craftsman is a craftsperson or a worker skilled in tour guiding or a closely related field. A tour can be described as a journey undertaken by visitors (tourists) for leisure in which different places of interest are visited.  Guiding or to guide in reference to a tour is to show tourists around places of interest. Tour guiding is an activity of taking visitors, travelers and tourists around places of interest, (usually places that are unknown or unfamiliar to the visitors. The work of tour guide craftsmen is to show or take tourists and other visitors around areas of interest among other duties.

Other closely related title(s)

1. Tour guide operations assistant
2. Tour guide
3. Travel guide
4. Art gallery guide,
5. Safari guide
6. Sightseeing guide

What is the work environment?
Tour guide craftsmen may work in various environments such as; outdoor under various weather conditions, museum or other attraction places.

Some important skills to have
To work effectively as a tour guide craftsman, a number of important skills and qualities are required. Some of these include;

1. Excellent knowledge of places of interest
2. Excellent communication skills
3. Flexibility and proactive
4. Personable and outgoing
5. Good physical fitness
6. Customer service skills
7. Excellent interpersonal skills
8. Organization skills
9. Safety and basic first aid skills
10. Honest and reliable
11. Time management skills
12. Nature lover
13. Cultural awareness
14. Multiple-language skills is an added advantage
15. Memorization ability to recall historical facts
16. Among others

What are some career opportunities?
Tour guide craftsmen can find employment opportunities in areas such as; tour operations companies, hotels, resorts, wildlife parks, museums, historical sites, vocational training centers, relevant government ministries and departments among other areas.

With work related experience, tour guide craftsmen can also use their skills and start their own tour guiding businesses or related ventures.

Becoming a tour guide 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 tour guide
2. Craft certificate in tour guiding and travel
3. Craft certificate in tour guiding operations
4. Or other similar or 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.

1. Applying through Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (Kuccps), for government sponsored students.
2. Applying directly to training institution of your choice, for self-sponsored students.

Financial Aid
There are various ways you can access financial aid to support your further or higher education. Some of them are listed below;

1. Through family members (parents/ guardians and siblings)
2. If you are a needy student, you can approach your local village/ community leaders for a possible community well-wishers fund drive.
3. Some corporate organizations, colleges and universities offer scholarships to bright but needy students. Get timely information on these scholarships to know where and when to apply.
4. Apply for education loan through Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
5. Apply for education bursaries from National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), from your local Member of Parliament, (MP).
6. Access education bursaries from your County Government.
7. 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.