As Uganda’s economy continues to evolve, the need to equip young people with relevant and practical skills is becoming increasingly important. Strengthening the country’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system is one of the areas Enabel is addressing through the WeWork – green and decent jobs for youth project, funded by the European Union and the Kingdom of Belgium.

As part of these efforts, Enabel partnered with the TVET Council to organise and host the inauguration and induction of Uganda’s Sector Skills Expert Committees (SSECs), a new mechanism aimed at bringing industry closer to the country’s skills development system.

The three-day workshop, held from 15th to 17th September in Entebbe, was organised under the theme, “From skills to productivity, jobs and wealth creation: The strategic role of Sector Skills Expert Committees in Uganda’s transformation.”

The 10 Sector Skills Expert Committees bring together industry players who are expected to provide information on the skills needed in different sectors of the economy. Their work will include identifying skills gaps, providing labour market intelligence, advising on training priorities and recommending new training programmes where necessary.

Opening the event, State Minister for Education and Sports, Hon. Phyllis Chemutai, said Uganda needs to look beyond the skills required today and anticipate those that will be needed in the future. “What skills does Uganda need today, and what skills will Uganda need tomorrow if we are to transform our economy and improve the lives of our people?” she asked.

The question comes at a time when Uganda’s economy and labour market are changing rapidly, with new technologies and growing opportunities in areas such as ICT, agro-industrialisation, tourism, manufacturing, oil and gas and other sectors. This will create a need for TVET institutions to ensure that the training offered keeps pace with these changes.

TVET Council Executive, Director Moses Kasakya, said the committees were established in response to a mismatch between the skills produced by some training institutions and the competencies required in the workplace. He explained that the committees, made up of industry representatives rather than trainers, will provide information on the competencies needed now and those likely to be required in the future. This information is expected to guide decisions on curricula, assessment, funding and investment in skills development.

TVET Council Chairperson Allen Kagina also called on the committees to base their recommendations on evidence rather than broad claims about skills shortages. She highlighted employer evidence, investment trends, occupational standards, technological changes and timely labour market data as an important guide for their work.

The three-day induction introduced committee members to their role within the national TVET system and equipped them with approaches to labour market intelligence and translating evidence into recommendations for training and investment.

The emphasis on stronger links between industry and training institutions reflects a key area of Enabel’s work under WeWork. The project works with TVET institutions in Busoga, Kampala, Rwenzori and West Nile to improve training delivery, build the capacity of trainers and promote TVET as a pathway to employment and entrepreneurship.

Enabel also engages in policy dialogue aimed at strengthening the wider TVET system and making it more responsive to the needs of young people and the economy. The establishment of the Sector Skills Expert Committees provides an opportunity to strengthen this connection at national level. Their work will ensure that training responds to labour market needs and gives young people the skills required for employment, entrepreneurship and a changing economy.

• 
• 
• 
•