Youth told to embrace skills training

PIC: Tumuheirwe (left) with participants at the United Innovations Development Centre in Kampala. (Credit: Noah Jagwe)

TRAINING | EMPLOYMENT 

KAMPALA - The only way to deal with the influx of job seekers is to give practical skills to school leavers and mothers who stay at home to enhance job-creation in Uganda.

Aidah Tumuheirwe, the director of United Innovations Development Centre (UIDC), said some primary and secondary school leavers at a productive age commit crimes because they waste time during holidays.

She said the skills they are imparting help one start a small business. Tumuheirwe made the remarks during the launch of the short time skills-training for school leavers and holiday makers to help improve incomes through job creation at UIDC in Kampala recently.

 "Once a person gets such a skill, they can easily start his or her own business," Tumuheirwe said.

The training targets Senior Six and Senior Four leavers, women and youth in general. The hands-on training lasts two weeks, depending on the applicant's choice.

A number of women from Wakiso district have been trained in briquettes making as well as making paper bags from agricultural waste. They were also trained in making candles and jewelry.

Speaking at a recent function, Godfrey Korinako, the assistant director at UIDC, said the only way to go about lack of employment is to acquire practical training in entrepreneurship.

"Most small businesses do not need a lot of capital to start. You only need between sh100,000 and sh200,000 to start," Korinako said. He added that the training of this kind is a better intervention for young people.