By KT Reporter
At least 2 billion shillings has been earmarked to popularize apprenticeship in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for graduates and the uneducated.
This joint program by the Government of Uganda, Germany, and the private sector seeks to boost employability in this area. Under this arrangement, private entities will take on TVET graduates to impart hands-on skills aligned with current industry demands. This aligns with the implementation of the Uganda National Apprenticeship Framework and the Workers’ Practically Acquired Skills (PAS) initiative, which aims to standardize and recognize workplace-based skills acquisition.
Speaking at the TVET Workplace Learning Conference, Matthias Schauer, the German Ambassador to Uganda, emphasized the importance of TVET skills in national development, saying this is a sustainable way of creating jobs as well as improving industrial productivity, especially in small and medium-sized industries, hence fostering economic development.
He added that this has been the backbone of Germany’s economic strength. “The true backbone of the German economy is the MSMEs,” he noted. “What makes them so strong is their highly skilled workforce that produces top-class products, resulting from excellent training, which companies are looking for.” He advised that Uganda should emulate this and design its model suited to its conditions.
Alex Asiimwe, the Commissioner for Labor, Industrial Relations, and Productivity in the Ministry of Gender, recognized apprenticeship as one of the key pathways for transitioning unemployed youth into the job market. “The results so far indicate a transition rate of over 70 percent,” he revealed, “yet the national average is at 24 percent.”
According to Asiimwe, the model has also proven to be a reliable pipeline for qualified workers because the placement of apprentices in the world of work is demand-driven. He said that this helps employers plan accordingly while also lowering recruitment costs, since a person transitions from an apprentice to an employee. “The employer already knows the weaknesses and strengths firsthand, which eliminates the need for selection processes.”
He emphasized that school dropouts and uneducated youth can also use this model to succeed in the world of employment. To ensure the private sector absorbs the large number of youth into this program while maintaining quality, Asiimwe mentioned that the government has opened up to collaborative efforts.
“The private sector incurs costs when taking on these apprentices. This means that as a government, we must provide some incentives to ensure that the private sector opens up more space for young people, but we also need resources for quality assurance.”
The project is funded by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through Sequa and implemented by the Chamber of Skilled Crafts (CSC), Koblenz, in Uganda. Ralf Hellrich, CEO of CSC Koblenz, revealed that Germany is carrying out similar programs in Rwanda and Burundi, all aiming to establish firm structures for TVET apprenticeships in these countries to strengthen their economies. “The project aims to enhance practice-oriented vocational training in Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, with a focus on renewable energy trades, metalwork, and gender inclusivity in the skilled crafts sector,” he noted.
Hellrich recommended that for this program to succeed, there must be a private-public partnership. “The government must talk to the private sector and show them why they should be a part of this, but also let them fully participate in the system,” he noted. “Not a top-down scenario, but also from the bottom up.” He added that this would help the system function healthily.
Veronica Namwanje, the Executive Director of the Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA), which is the private sector implementing partner for the program, applauded the initiative for its various support mechanisms, especially the enterprise-based learning law, which she says will help standardize the practice so that employers do not take in substandard employees. “Workplace learning has always been around; we are only trying to structure it for better service delivery,” she stated “Initially, we didn’t have regulated laws.”
She echoed the heavy costs enterprises incur when they host apprenticeships-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
