Skills enhancement and competence are key to social transformation – govt
A leaner (R) displays his skills at one of the locomotive engines during the regional skills competition held at Nakawa Vocational Technical College on May 29.PHOTOs | DAN WANDERA
What you need to know:
- In this competition, different vocational and institutional institutions present some of their best students for the diverse fields to compete in the set skills.
As Uganda rolls out the skilling program as a critical element for the social transformation of the population, the culture of organizing skills competitions for learners will boost quality assurance to match the globalised job economy.
Dr Mike Kennedy Ssebalu, the former Busiro County MP and the chairperson of the Skills Competition Uganda believes that the ongoing government initiative to have Ugandans embrace skills training at different vocational and technical institutions has had a big boost through scheduled annual skills competitions to help check the quality and explore the hidden potential.
“The skills development and enhancement is a great idea that will propel our country to greater heights. By organizing skills competitions among the learners from the different training institutions, we are targeting creation of competitiveness in given fields of study where we do not only look at best candidates but help learners correct critical areas to match the quality standards and needs,” he said.
In this competition, different vocational and institutional institutions present some of their best students for the diverse fields to compete in the set skills.
“We have seen the learners navigate through the engine of a locomotive and be able to identify problem areas; the plumbers, art, and design among other fields. These people will not only be able to create their own jobs but will also be able to employ others. Through the skills competitions, we are able to select the best candidates that will represent Uganda at the World Skills Competition to be held in Shanghai China,” he said at the closure of the Central Region Skills Competition held at Nakawa Vocational Training College on May 29.
“From what we have witnessed from the learner exhibitions, the performance of our learners is high, their products are of quality. This helps us assess our level of progress for the skilling industry. Fortunately, government is investing more resources to boost the training programs at the different training and vocational institutions,” Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board Executive Secretary, Mr Onesmus Oyesigye said in an interview.
Mr Emmanuel Kalumba, a competitor for the automotive category, said the competition is a golden opportunity to share his skills with many other learners at the national level for perfection.
“Am more prefect after the competition because of the interaction with expert instructors and the learners. We were put on the test to measure our respective levels of expertise. I believe that the confidence gained is an additional skill in my automotive field,” he said.
The learners from the technical colleges and vocational institutes from Central Uganda including Nakawa Vocational Training College, Lugogo Vocational Institute, St Joseph Kisubu Technical Institute, Sasira Technical Institute, Lwengo Technical Institute, Vision for Africa Institute attracted five female and 20 male competitors in the fields of Automotive, Electricity, Wood Working, Welding, Fashion and Design, Cooking among other fields.
