Over 1,400 Ugandans gain skills, boost local economy
The beneficiaries received certificates in Tororo district after completing training in more than 20 trades, including tailoring, baking, plumbing, and poultry farming.
Some of the graduands that attended the event at Children's Lions Park Tororo. The programme's primary goal is to empower thousands of young Ugandans with marketable skills, turning them into job creators and entrepreneurs. By doing so, the government aims to boost household incomes and support national industrialisation. (Photos by John Masaba)
By John Masaba
Journalists @New Vision
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A government-led vocational programme has graduated 1,412 Ugandans, equipping them with practical skills to boost productivity and foster socioeconomic growth.
The beneficiaries received certificates in Tororo district after completing training in more than 20 trades, including tailoring, baking, plumbing, and poultry farming.
The initiative is a partnership between the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) and the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACIED).
Its primary goal is to empower thousands of young Ugandans with marketable skills, turning them into job creators and entrepreneurs. By doing so, the government aims to boost household incomes and support national industrialisation.
The graduation ceremony that took place at Children's Lions Park playground in Tororo on Thursday (August 14) was presided over by PACIED chairman Odrek Rwabwogo and was attended by officials from UVTAB and the Ministry of Education and Sports.
The training combines practical experience with crucial lessons in entrepreneurship and financial literacy, all supervised by certified instructors.
PACIED Chairman Odrek Rwabwogo emphasized the importance of empowering all citizens, not just university graduates, with certified skills.
According to Onesmus Oyesigye, the UVTAB's Executive Secretary, the graduates completed training across 27 centres in a programme which targeted Bukedi region.
"This achievement is a testament to the dedication and resilience of our young men and women," Oyesigye stated.
"These trades form the backbone of Uganda’s economy and play a crucial role in fostering production, employment, and sustainable development."
Oyesigye praised the collaboration with PACIED, noting that it has been instrumental in providing access to quality vocational training.
"Together, we are building a skilled workforce ready to meet the demands of our growing economy," he said.
Under the new TVET Act 2025, all Ugandans in productive work are required to be certified by the TVET Council after an assessment by UVTAB.
Oyesigye explained that this legislation reinforces professional standards and helps build a critical mass of skilled artisans essential for Uganda's development agenda.
PACIED Chairman Odrek Rwabwogo emphasised the importance of empowering all citizens, not just university graduates, with certified skills.
"You need the common person to take some of those skills and get it certified and apply it at a local level," he said.
Rwabwogo highlighted the untapped potential of Uganda's cassava industry, noting that while the country's cassava is organic, it lacks certified aggregation, which is a barrier to global markets.
He stressed that scaling production requires training and collective action.
"You cannot make a bundle if you don’t train one," he added.
"Teamwork to supply those markets requires aggregation and cooperatives."
Oyesigye concluded by encouraging the graduates to use their skills diligently and with integrity, marking their graduation as "the beginning of a promising journey towards personal growth and a brighter future for Uganda.