Graduates get extra business entrepreneur skills

By Jeff Andrew Lule

GRADUATES and non-employed youth have been urged to supplement their school knowledge with entrepreneur and vocational to easily help them manage their own businesses.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of 25 interns from different universities at Silver Springs Hotel in Kampala, the Chief of Party USAID, Eva Mulema Matsiko, said such skills can easily enable graduates start and run their own businesses effectively.

“These skills are important and I am very sure, many of you the right path to take unlike when you had just left university. That’s why we encourage the ministry of education to introduce vocational training at all level for students to acquire this knowledge to help them after school,” she added.

The one year training was facilitated by Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) a non-profit social enterprise. DOT works to eradicating poverty, vulnerability and gender equality by giving people skills and knowledge to use technology to achieve educational, social and economic opportunities.

During the training the youth acted as agents of change in the communities by facilitating technology, business and entrepreneurial learning experiences to people in their own communities, through DOT’s signature programs: ReachUP! and StartUP!  

The ceremony also involved awarding the best performing interns who stood out whilst delivering DOT’s signature entrepreneurship programs that have impacted on people’s lives in different communities.

Matsiko said many graduates fail to compete effectively in the job market due to lack innovational skills and making wrong choices.

“You should mind about your additional contribution and harness your opportunities when doing interviews. You must be able to market yourself before the panel to prove your capability. Make good strategic choices to succeed. Choices have failed many people,” she added.

DOT’s country program manager, Natalie Kimbugwe advised graduates on time keepind, saying it has failed many people to succeed in Africa. “Remember, time wasted can never be substituted. Time keeping is very important to void missing any opportunity at hand. It is useless to learn many things and forget one thing. An early bad catches the worm,” she added.

Kimbugwe said life is not about what one has studied but what he can do.  According to the ministry of gender and labours, out of the 400, 000 only 160,000 are absorbed in the job markets.

Stella Alibateese, director Legal and regulation services, National Information Technology Authority (NITA) Uganda, noted that many new businesses last for less than one year and close due to lack skills by the operators and other challenges.

“Many people ignore legal issues while starting a business which has cost them at the end of the day. You need to read the law and seek counseling from your lawyer. Issues like a name of a business, business structure and business licenses among others,” she added

Alibateese also noted that some people fail in business due to lack targets in their work. “You must consider the targets to meet, to make sure you are result oriented,” he added.

One of the beneficiaries, Samson Matua, 27, said he has learnt the importance of networks through the social media. “I have learnt self-marketing, research and seeking information. It has also helped me to know the importance of social networks to promote our businesses than wasting on idle chatting. I have already set up my business and it is picking using the same skills,” he added.