Ignorance is often misunderstood. Many people use this term to mean failure to acknowledge or pay attention to something. However, ignorance means information or knowledge deficiency, and this is a very dangerous and expensive situation.
One of the most effective ways of eliminating ignorance is getting an education. While it plays an integral role in every individual’s life, many are not privileged enough to access or even afford tertiary education.
Many parents in Kenya break their backs to afford a university degree for their children. And as many graduates make their debut in the job market, the level of unemployment in Kenya is rising exponentially.
Stories of frustrated multiple degree holders who can hardly find jobs years after graduating are told every so often. Many of these individuals slip into depression while others regret struggling to attain good grades.
For those who never got a tertiary education, it is a different story altogether. Many of them feel hopeless and less qualified for the job market. Is a Diploma or a Degree the gateway to a good job in Kenya? There are numerous good and well-paying jobs one can venture in without a Diploma or even a degree. Let’s explore some of them.
{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}
Real estate is a productive venture in Kenya. With the demand for housing rising exponentially each year, real estate agents/brokers can make lots of money each month. You can collaborate with developers in search of land and source the land on their behalf.
If they decide to carry out development works on the land, then you can earn a certain agreed-upon percentage of money as a commission for getting them the land. You can also assist individuals to find a rental house or a home that meets their specifications.
You can charge them reasonable rates which act as your payment for the work. Stories of real estate agents who turned out to be landlords have been told numerous times.
Real Estate Agent/Broker
Real estate is a productive venture in Kenya. With the demand for housing rising exponentially each year, real estate agents/brokers can make lots of money each month. You can collaborate with developers in search of land and source the land on their behalf.
If they decide to carry out development works on the land, then you can earn a certain agreed-upon percentage of money as a commission for getting them the land. You can also assist individuals to find a rental house or a home that meets their specifications.
You can charge them reasonable rates which act as your payment for the work. Stories of real estate agents who turned out to be landlords have been told numerous times.
Events Manager
An event manager’s job description includes planning, organizing, and implementing events. You can make large amounts of money from managing events. Wedding planning, for instance, is one of the most sought-after services in Kenya.
Depending on the magnitude of the wedding, you can make anything between 100,000 and 300,000 Kenya shillings for each wedding. Other events include; food festivals, conventions, birthday parties, graduation ceremonies, anniversaries, and musical concerts.
Assuming you land 3 to 4 events every month, you are guaranteed of good profits after deducting your expenses.
Road Transport Manager
The transport industry in Kenya is diverse. It includes long-distance transit trucks, public service vehicles also known as “matatus”, and taxi services. You do not need a Diploma or Degree to apply for this job. The skills you need to become an effective transport manager include;
⏩Good time management skills
⏩Excellent planning and organizational skills
⏩Good communication skills
⏩Proper budget handling capability
⏩Good decision-making and flexibility skills
⏩Excellent logical thinking ability
⏩Proper motivational and leadership skills
⏩Good geographical region knowledge
Responsibilities of a road transport manager
⏩Collaborating with both customers and suppliers in order to schedule delivery times and routes
⏩Lay down strategies to achieve operational targets
⏩Organize staff training and team building activities
⏩Manage the entire team of drivers, administration assistants, and supervisors.
⏩Compiling performance records for the directors
⏩Establishing new business and handling contracts
⏩Organizing vehicle servicing and replacements
Digital Marketing Manager
The digital industry is evolving quite fast globally more so because you do not need a Degree or Diploma to become an internet marketer. You can use the available digital avenues to perfect your skills.
For instance; you can create a social media profile free of charge. Join as many platforms as possible and pay special attention to groups with massive followers. Become an active member to grow your popularity, and establish a degree of authority across the webspace.
Once you achieve this, you can now request members to hire you for service and product promotions. There is power in social media and this explains why there is an influx of social media influencers in Kenya.
As an influencer, your pay ranges between 5,000 to 50,000 Kenya shillings for a certain number of posts on their social media pages. Your pay is determined by the number of followers you have.
House-help Agency
As many women today get occupied with career development, the demand for efficient house-helps is on the rise. Even then, finding a good and skilled house assistant can be an arduous task. You can stand in the gap and launch an agency and provide training to would-be house-helps.
Market your venture on social media platforms and through word of mouth. Employers can then get trained house helps from your agency. You can charge the employers a certain fee for every trained house help.
Now, assuming you train and outsource approximately 50 house helps each month, you are sure to make enough money for your upkeep.
Customer Service Agent
Today, many middle-sized and big corporate companies have a customer service department. These are by far some of the best paying jobs that do not need a Diploma or a Degree. What’s more, you don't need the training to handle customer complaints.
You can easily learn on the go. Customer service representatives can earn anything from 40,000 Kenya shillings and beyond.
What Skills do they Require?
As a customer service representative, you need to have the following skills;
➥Listening skills
➥Patience
➥Excellent communication skills
➥Body language skills
➥A clear understanding of your products and services
➥Time management skills
➥Persuasion capability
➥Ability to think fast
Search Engine Optimization Specialist
The SEO industry is growing at a high rate and many entrepreneurs are seeking to promote their entities. In order to succeed in this industry, you need to perfect your research skills.
These will enable you to master effective tools to navigate through various search engines such as Yahoo, Bing, and Google. You can make massive amounts of money from this venture.
Web Development and Design
There are numerous online tutorials to help you master web development and design tactics. Already, there are available content management systems which come in handy to aid the creation of excellent websites without requiring technical qualifications.
You can make use of the available templates and themes and you do not need massive input to achieve an appealing website design. There is an increased demand for simple website developers and designers. You can earn a lot of money from managing websites too.
Cabin Crew Personnel
Working as a cabin crew is probably every young girl’s aspiration. What with the demonstration of an alluring lifestyle coupled with extensive traveling to beautiful cities, hobnobbing with the who is who’s in the society globally, and taking home a huge pay cheque?
You qualify to become a cabin crew staff with only a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Certificate.
Cabin Crew Skills
Cabin crew is tasked with ensuring customers are comfortable and safe during a flight. They receive training particularly in customer service and care and should ensure that customers enjoy the entire journey.
They attend to customer needs and take charge in the event of emergencies. They should possess various skills which include;
➧Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
➧Discretion and confidence capability
➧Problem-solving skills
➧Ability to work under pressure
➧Ability to collaborate with fellow members on the team
➧Above all, they should be physically fit
Cabin crew staff can earn anything between 100,000 to 200,000 Kenya Shillings.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is fast gaining popularity in Kenya. This involves marketing products for a fee either offline or online. In order to be successful as an online affiliate marketer, you should first create a blog within your preferred niche.
After that, join an internet retailer of your choice to access products to market. You can choose between commission junction, Clickbank, or Amazon. Almost every successful internet retailer today has an affiliate program.
Offline affiliates are hired to promote dealer services for a commission for each completed sale. A classic example in Kenya would be different product marketers such as cars, beauty products, washing detergents, and soft drinks.
Skills of an Affiliate Marketer
An affiliate marketer must be skilled in various fields and this call for a variety of skills which include;
➧Decision making and problem-solving skills
➧Data analysis and management skills
➧Creativity and leadership skills
➧People and money management skills
➧Technical and marketing skills
Affiliate marketers get a certain percentage from the sale of marketed products.
Small Business
The business industry is versatile. There are numerous business opportunities you can explore. What’s more, you do not need huge amounts of capital to start. If you do not have the higher education qualifications required in the corporate world, starting a small business can go a long way.
With discipline, you can grow the business to a big entity and maximize your return on investment. Below are some small business ideas.
Grocery Shop
A grocery shop or “kibanda ya mboga” as it is commonly known in Kenya is quite profitable. You only need to be resilient, persistent and have excellent customer service skills. In addition, you need to be fast when it comes to service provision.
Remember, we are living in a fast-moving world and people are getting busier every day.
Many of your customers will need chopped vegetables and you will not succeed without excellent knife and speed skills. Hygiene is of utmost importance too.
In order to keep, and attract more customers through referrals, exercise high hygiene standards.
What does it Entail?
Success in this choice of business is almost guaranteed. However, there are various considerations to factor. First, you need to conduct a feasibility study in order to understand your target market.
Ascertain what they want and work out delivery strategies. For starters, you do not need a huge facility. You can rent a small room for as low as 2,000 shillings. Source your stock from the local market and include a variety of items.
You can start with small amounts and increase depending on the demand. Vegetables are some of the fast-moving items with a high ROI. For 3,000 shillings, you can make a double profit. Re-invest the profits in the business in order to grow it as you go.
People consume vegetables every day and you can be sure to make good profits from a grocery shop.
Poultry Rearing
Poultry farming is a lucrative business and you do not require a huge piece of land especially if you opt for free range chicken. What’s more, the indigenous breed is not as susceptible to diseases as broilers.
With a budget of 20,000 Kenya shillings, you can begin your poultry business. The amount of money spent on chicken feed and drugs will be determined by your choice of chicken breed.
What it Entails?
Poultry rearing is a delicate activity that requires patience and loads of dedication. If you opt for broilers, you will need extra commitment in order to maximize your earnings.
Start printing and photocopy business
For this, you will require between 50,000 and 200,000 Kenya shillings. This is a profitable business especially if you set up shop in crowded areas within the metropolitan areas or near institutions of higher learning.
Profits can be used to scale up the business. With time, you can include a cyber cafe which is also quite profitable.
Venturing in the beauty industry
Unlike in the past, many women today are spending money to improve their looks. Thus, investing in a beauty parlor can give you a high return on investment. With as little as 10,000 Kenya shillings, you can start your business from the comfort of your house.
In this digital era, it is easy to source for customers through social media platforms. You can begin by posting photos to showcase your work. Interested customers can then contact you for service delivery. Many successful beauty technicians today started as freelancers.
Finally
This should not mean that education is not important in life. Education equips you with essential knowledge to diversify your thinking capability. However, having a diploma or a degree is not an automatic guarantee of securing a good job. Gone are the days when your pay cheque was determined by the volume of your papers. You can get a good job, lead a comfortable life, and expand your experience without tertiary education.