THE IMPACT OF THE 'SKILLING UGANDA’ PROGRAMME ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN EASTERN UGANDA.

Abstract

This study examined the impact of the ‘Skilling Uganda’ programme on youth employment in eastern Uganda. According to the 2021 National Labor Force Survey, youth unemployment stood at 16.5%, higher than 2020’s 13.3% and the national average of 9.2%. Youth unemployment has economic, social, and political consequences, prompting calls for empirical evaluation of interventions like the “Skilling Uganda” programme. Guided by Human Capital Theory and General Systems Theory, the study aimed to: (1) establish the employment status of programme graduates, (2) determine their employability, (3) identify employment-related challenges, and (4) explore institutional challenges in sustaining the programme. Using a mixed-methods design with a pragmatic paradigm, 208 respondents were sampled from a target of 500 through purposive, simple random, and stratified sampling. Data were collected via questionnaires and interviews, then analyzed using SPSS. Findings revealed that 14.4% of graduates were unemployed, and those employed among the respondents faced low or inconsistent earnings, indicating persistent underemployment. Significant skill gaps were noted in digital literacy (51.4%) and leadership (64.0%), with respondents attributing these skills to personal initiative rather than the training. Key employment challenges included low capital (76%), technological limitations (39.9%), lack of employability skills (27.9%), and weak social networks (27.9%). Institutional challenges included budget constraints, limited focus on employability skills in curricula, and weak industry linkages, particularly in securing partnerships with the private sector. The study concludes that while the programme has improved access to work, the quality and sustainability of employment remain limited by skill gaps, inadequate capital, weak industry linkages, and low technological proficiency. It recommends enhancing employability training, strengthening post-training support and financing, building stronger industry linkages, and expanding technological training.