How technology can transform the Ugandan job market 

In February 2020, the World Bank Group released a report on the “Jobs Strategy for Inclusive Growth in Uganda” and highlighted areas that were critically affecting the job market in Uganda including; the deteriorating access to jobs, deteriorating quality of jobs and rapid growth of the labour force.

It also noted that around 700,000 youth enter the job market in Uganda annually, and this will grow to around 1 million annually by 2030.

Currently, there are plans by the government to build at least 25 industrial parks across the country with the aim of employing at least 400,000 people annually. 

This is in addition to the 70,000 or so non-agricultural jobs created annually in the country. The expectation is that this will pick up once the economy recovers from the effects of the pandemic. The Oil and Gas industry is expected to create between 100,000 - 150,000 direct and indirect jobs in the short and long term.

The above statistics show that there will be a significant increase in activity in the job market over the next decade, which creates a need for different approaches to managing the job market effectively. 

Technology has a big part to play in managing this efficiently through outsourcing of key stages in the job market such as recruitment. BrighterMonday Uganda, is one of the companies at the forefront of this digital transformation. 

The firm helps connect thousands of employers with the right candidates using of a technology based platform. The new technology offers jobseekers more visibility, helps them create digital CV and receive notifications every six months. This means they stay informed and in control of their career goals & progression.

These are some of the approaches we are using with our technology to help thousands of jobseekers to identify the skill-gaps, develop those skills, learn how to network and use the power of the internet to connect them to the thousands of job opportunities published on our website annually.

As a company that relies on integrating technology in everything we do, we also leverage our unique technology and expertise to support small and medium businesses that need to grow while keeping costs in check. Our recent partnership with the Federation of Small & Medium Enterprises Uganda (FSME) will also give their 21,000+ members an opportunity to access reliable, affordable, efficient and easy to use platform and allow them to recruit faster and better.

Technology has already changed many aspects in our everyday lives. It is time we used it to re-shape our job market with focus on improving productivity and embracing a new way to hire the right people in an effective and cost conscious manner.