The Government of Uganda has affirmed its strong support for the Work-Based Learning (WBL) approach as a key strategy to address the prevailing issue of youth unemployment in the nation.
Speaking at a workshop in Kampala recently to validate an EPRC-led study, Mr. Ibrahim Kisu, an apprenticeship specialist at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD), said work-based learning was a central pillar of government’s employment strategy. Mr. Kisu, representing Mr. Enoch Mutambi, the skills development and employment specialist at MGLSD, emphasized that “the creation of decent work necessitates not only the availability of job opportunities but also the establishment of supportive environments where learners can cultivate practical skills concurrently with their work.”
Uganda suffers from inability to create enough jobs for young people joining the labour market. However, one of the challenges usually cited is lack of required skills among the job seekers. A new EPRC study, done under INCLUDE Platform’s African Policy Dialogues (APDs), has explored how WBL can be leveraged to address the skills gap challenge.
Dr. Sarah Ssewanyana, the EPRC executive director, stressed the significance of workplace learning as an innovative mechanism to bridge the gap between education and employment in Africa by equipping learners with practical skills, industry relevant knowledge, and real-world experience.
Presenting preliminary findings of the study, Dr Christine Alum, a research fellow at EPRC, noted four key drivers for successful work based learning emerged: widespread awareness of available programmes among youths and communities; the integration of digital platforms and emerging AI tools to facilitate training, mentoring and placement; a supportive regulatory environment with clear policies, effective enforcement and functional labour market information systems; and strong collaboration among employers, training institutions and trainees to ensure mutual accountability.
The workshop acknowledged common challenges across all work-based learning programmes. They included under resourced training facilities, high costs for apprentices, gaps in certification for informal schemes, weak partnerships between industry and training institutions. Uganda was implored to study best practices in other countries to get lessons. These the dual apprenticeship system in Ethiopia, Tanzania, South Africa and Tunisia buttressed by cost sharing between government and private sector. The SME consortium approach in France, Costa Rica and the USA saw small and medium sized enterprises pool resources and jointly develop apprenticeship programmes. Another model, the Germany’s master craftsman certification, introduced in 2013, provided formal nationwide accreditation for traditional apprenticeships.
The WBL study part of a series of studies by EPRC to support government’s quest to address the youth unemployment challenge.