By KT Reporter
Young corporates and innovators have been tipped against thinking about political leanings when handling their young careers, to avoid disruptions through missing opportunities.
Steven Kirenga, General Manager of Product and Business Development and Customer Experience at Centenary Bank’s Cente Tech, notes a tendency of young persons to be so politically emotional to the extent of not taking up government contracts or participating in its development programmes.
He was speaking at the pass-out of graduates of the second MTN Ace programme, an initiative that equips learners with digital skills in different areas.
He stressed that there are many opportunities, including with the government, giving the example of the persistent importation of software into the country, more than a decade since the digital revolution started in Uganda.
Out of the 154, participants, 103 completed the skilling programme and 44 advanced through the ACE Career track, which combines practical training with internships, while 13 have already secured employment with MTN Uganda.
This brings the total number of beneficiaries to 188, with 21 joining MTN Uganda.
The programme focuses on digital technologies, entrepreneurship, and innovation, the tools that Enid Edroma, MTN’s General Manager Corporate Services, feels are the very tools that will allow them thrive in Uganda’s fast-evolving economy.
She said that there were shortages in professional in several of these fields, across the economy, with others easily finding their way out of the country. She called on training institutions to put focus on these areas.
She says that the UGX 2.17 billion also aligns with Uganda’s National Development Plan, and the Digital Transformation Roadmap, while supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals on education, gender equality, decent work, and reduced inequalities.
Emphasizing the value of transparency and integrity, Ms Edroma said even in circumstances where one is accused, falsely, one needs to stand by their truth without engaging politics, giving the example of former Makerere University Business School Principal, Juma Balunywa.
Ronald Bbosa, the President at the Human Resource Managers’ Association of Uganda notes a tendency of young persons to think of quick gains which instead makes them failures or leave their occupations disgraced.
While admitting that there are choices and that the right to choose, Bbosa told the beneficiaries of the many opportunities, explaining that where there are problems (troubled waters) is most likely where more opportunities will be.
He however, said that while the education system focuses on students answering the right questions, in the employment market, it is the right questions that matter.
Dr. Diana Ntamu, Director, MUBS Entrepreneurship Centre, on her part cautioned the against practices that taint their careers, adding that in the professional world, each one is alone for survival. According to her the striving to add value to wherever an opportunity calls is a driving force behind success and a positive legacy.
This development comes at the time statistics from the World Bank and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development shows while the country’s population stands at about 45 million, 75 percent are under the age of 30. However, 13 percent are unemployed.
The MTN Ace initiative is delivered with partners including the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Makerere University Business School’s Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Incubation Centre, Centenary Technology Services, Engage Consult, the National ICT Innovation Hub, and MTN MoMo Uganda.
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