Over 2000 in Mukono graduate with skills for industry and exports

The awarding ceremony was organized by the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID) at Mukono Boarding Primary School in Mukono Municipality.

Those who were awarded were in a range of areas including hair styling, piggery, motor vehicle maintenance, tailoring, rabbit husbandry, coffee and poultry farming, bricklaying, renewable energy, soap production, juice processing, leather design, motorcycle maintenance, bookbinding, and photography.

Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Duties Odrek Rwabogo also the founder of PACEID said the program’s goal is to train and certify the labor force to guarantee that industries have complete skilled labor with abilities and skills.

“This initiative targets to promote employable skills among Ugandans, promote products, and look for markets. This can be achieved with certified employees but the country’s majority are uncertified. Based on that background, we decided to bring DIT on board to assess our people and have them certified.” Rwabogo said.

People awarded with certificates were taken through a two-day assessment process at Mt. Lebanon Christian Centre Church. DIT sampled some of the people who registered for the awards of these certificates to ascertain their skills at their various workstations. Out of the 3000 people who had applied for the certificates, only 2031 qualified.

Mukono Deputy Resident District Commissioner Mike Ssegawa thanked Odrek Rwabogo for initiating PACEID and the program aimed at lifting the country’s economy.

“I have always told people that skills gained, hard work, and opportunity result in sustainable wealth creation. For the over 2000 graduates, congratulations. I call upon more youth to embrace the Department of Industrial Training (DIT) government program to gain more confidence and advantage in the competitive job market.” Ssegawa emphasized.
Also, the Chief Mobiliser for the program within Greater Mukono, Pastor Samuel Lwandasa applauded PACEID for gearing the program aimed at reducing poverty in the country.

One of the program beneficiaries, AnnaMaria Nanfuka, a primary teacher but also skilled in hairdressing, reveals that she lacked a confirmation record of her skills. She remains grateful to the organizers of the initiative for the recognition.