Internships and Graduate Trainee Programmes in Kenya: How to Find and Get One

For most graduates in Kenya, the first job is the hardest to get. Employers ask for experience, and you cannot get experience without a job. Internships and graduate trainee programmes exist to break that cycle, and a good one can lead straight to a permanent post.

This guide covers the main types of internships available in Kenya, when they are usually advertised, and how to make your application stand out.

Internship, attachment or graduate trainee: what's the difference?

• Industrial attachment is usually part of your course. You do it while still a student, and your college often places you or gives you an introduction letter.
• Internships are for recent graduates. They typically last three to twelve months and pay a stipend rather than a full salary.
• Graduate trainee or management trainee programmes are structured schemes run by larger employers such as banks, telcos, manufacturers and consultancies. Trainees rotate through departments and are often hired permanently at the end.

The Public Service Internship Programme (PSIP)

The Public Service Commission runs a 12-month paid internship that places graduates in ministries, state departments, state corporations and public universities. Interns receive a monthly government stipend.

For the 2026/27 intake, the PSC asked for applicants who hold a bachelor's degree, graduated in 2020 or later, have computer skills and have not been on a similar government internship before. Applications are made online through the PSC jobs portal, linked from publicservice.go.ke. Requirements can change with each intake, so always read the current advert.

Competition is intense, and in recent years the intake has been reduced because of budget pressures, so treat the PSIP as one option rather than your only plan.

Other places to look

• State corporations and county governments advertise their own internships, often on their websites only.
• Banks, insurers, telcos and large manufacturers run graduate trainee programmes, usually opening once a year. Watch their careers pages from the middle of the year.
• The big audit and consulting firms recruit graduate trainees, mostly for accounting, tax and advisory work.
• NGOs and UN agencies in Nairobi offer internships. UN internships are often unpaid or carry a small allowance, and usually require you to be enrolled in or recently finished with a degree. Check each agency's rules.

On JobsToGrab you can see every verified internship and graduate opportunity in one list, and get new ones by email as soon as they are approved.

How to stand out when you have little experience

1. Write a CV built for a graduate

Put your education first, then any attachment, volunteer work, student leadership, projects and part-time jobs. Describe what you actually did and achieved. Read our guide on how to write a CV with no experience, or build one in minutes with our free CV builder.

2. Write a short, specific cover letter

Explain why you want this particular programme and what you can bring. One page is enough. Avoid copying a generic template; recruiters see the same ones hundreds of times. Our cover letter guide shows the structure.

3. Get your documents ready early

Have certified copies of your certificates and transcripts, your ID and, for public sector roles, a Certificate of Good Conduct and KRA Tax Compliance Certificate. Internship windows can be short.

4. Build skills while you wait

Free online courses in Excel, data analysis, digital marketing or project management, plus volunteering with a community organisation, give you something concrete to talk about in interviews.

5. Apply widely, but properly

Applying to forty adverts with the same CV is less effective than applying carefully to ten that fit you. Read each advert and adjust your CV to match it.

A sample timeline for your internship search

1. Final year of study: ask your lecturers and career office about graduate programmes, and build your CV.
2. Graduation month: get your KRA PIN and TCC, a Certificate of Good Conduct and certified copies of your certificates.
3. Every week after that: check new graduate and internship listings, and apply to those that fit.
4. While waiting: volunteer, take short courses and keep your CV up to date with each new skill.

Making the most of your internship

Getting in is only half the job. Interns who are later hired permanently usually:

• Arrive on time, dress appropriately and treat everyone with respect.
• Ask for real work, and finish it well and on time.
• Keep a record of what they did and achieved, ready for their CV.
• Ask their supervisor for feedback and, at the end, a reference letter.
• Build relationships with colleagues; many jobs are filled through recommendations.

Be careful of internship scams

Some fake adverts target graduates with "internship placement fees", "training fees" or demands to buy uniforms or kits. A genuine internship does not require you to pay to get in. If you are asked for money, read our warning signs of a fake job advert before you do anything.