WorldSkills Uganda (WSU) and the Ministry of Education and Sports have called upon private sector actors in Uganda to take responsibility and join efforts to enhance skills development in the country.

The call was made at a National Stakeholders’ meeting held at Fairway Hotel on June 23, 2022.

The meeting was attended by representatives from several private and public companies and umbrella bodies such as Uganda Manufacturers Association, Uganda National Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors, Uganda Tailors’ Association, Uganda Small Scale Industries Association among others. Some of the big firms that participated include Roofings Group, Uganda Breweries, CFAO Motors formerly Toyota Uganda, Uganda Industrial Research Institute, National Housing and Construction Company, among others.

During the meeting, several company representatives pledged their support to the skilling agenda, promising sponsorship of participants in the National and international WorldSkills competitions.

While officially opening the meeting, Dr. Jane Egau, The Director of Higher and Technical Vocational Education and Training highlighted the importance of collaboration with employers in improving the quality of skilling.

She explained, “the Ministry of Education and Sports developed a national TVET Policy in 2019 which emphasizes an employer led TVET system”.

Dr. Egau added that the new arrangement puts the employers particularly the private sector in the lead of promoting skills that are required in the labour market. 

Enabel’s Skills Expert Ham Lukurwe reiterated the organization’s commitment to the skilling agenda.

“Enabel understands the role skilling can do to a nation, it has the ability to improve the country’s productivity and thus improve the standard of living for everyone through increased employability,” Lukurwe noted.

Enabel has for the past 20 years been in Uganda supporting different skills programmes. In 2016[LH1] , the organization started the implementation of a 5-year skilling programme that has seen 12656 youths skilled across the country. Of these 57 per cent were female while a total of 4141 representing 33 per cent were refuges residing in the areas of West Nile and Kiryandongo district.

Enabel has been a key partner of WorldSkills Uganda in ensuring the coordination structures, enhancing the competences of competitors and coaches as well as successfully organizing and participating in national and international skills competitions.  

WSU is part of the WorldSkills International (WSI), a global movement which raises the profile and recognition of skilled people, and shows how important skills are in achieving economic growth. It promotes the benefits of and need for skilled professionals through grassroots community projects, skills competitions, and knowledge exchange through international cooperation and development between industry, government, organisations, and institutions. It organizes the world championships of vocational skills every two years in different parts of the world.