Over 800 graduates get jobs through Shs19b EU-funded programme
Officials from Enabel and Private Sector Foundation pose for a photo during the meeting. Photo/Busein Samilu
What you need to know:
- Officially rolled out in 2022, the €5m (Shs19.4b) WRP funded by the EU was implemented by Enabel, a Belgian development agency in partnership with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU).
At least 849 fresh graduates who secured internship placements in different private sector firms under the European Union (EU) funded programme dubbed Work Readiness Programme (WRP) were retained and fully employed, officials have revealed.
This number represents 73 percent of the 1,164 graduates who were enrolled on the programme since its inception in 2021.
Officially rolled out in 2022, the €5m (Shs19.4b) WRP funded by the EU was implemented by Enabel, a Belgian development agency in partnership with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU).
It received its initial funding in November 2021 and another salary grant in July 2022 but delayed to start in 2021 because of Covid-19 which has since pushed its conclusion from December 2023 to December this year.
Officials said that the project aimed at developing innovative strategies addressing the significant skills mismatches identified in Uganda’s labour force compared to the needs of employers, particularly in the private sector.
Graduates were through the program connected to different firms where they were trained in personal skills, confidence levels, management and administrative skills, and critical thinking.
Speaking at the Programme’s reflection journey on November 29, Mr Tom Vanneste, the Project manager at Enabel said that the number of beneficiaries exceeded the 1,000 graduates, they had targeted, “The project set out to secure employment for 1,000 graduates but exceeded expectations, placing 1,164 graduates (631 males and 533 females) in jobs during the initial six-month period supported by the programme. This first employment experience has already laid a solid foundation for their future careers across diverse fields,” he said.
He added, “Private sector companies offered jobs, mentorship, and coaching to young graduates, helping them grow into skilled professionals, and Enabel provided essential oversight to ensure we achieved our shared goals, thereby turning ambition into impactful results.”
The programme, he added, was initially designed to end in December 2023 but the delays caused by the negative impacts of Covid-19 led to its extension.
“We continue to encourage the private and public sector, the NGOs and other agencies in this country to continuously and intentionally tap into the existing portal that has so many unemployed graduates and use it as their recruitment resource especially when you have entry jobs,” he said.
Speaking at the hybrid event, Mr Sofian Dahmani, the Project Officer WRP at the EU delegation said that they have created an additional window of support for the graduates. “This opportunity will extend to another 1,800 graduates in the next phase of the project as we are working with Belgium to create jobs to the Ugandan youths,” he said.
The Chief Operating Officer of PSFU, Ms Grace Nshemeire Gwaku said, “Enabel and the EU have empowered us to tackle youth unemployment, a critical challenge in Uganda. With 200 private sector companies opening doors to unskilled graduates, we've seen the transformative power of collaboration. Your investment in youth is an investment in Uganda’s future.”
