State House officials have asked Greater Luweero leaders to identify land for the proposed facility, which will expand vocational training and equip young people with skills for employment and enterprise development.
President Museveni has directed the establishment of a Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Luweero District to provide vocational training to young people from Luweero, Nakasongola and Nakaseke, as government seeks to expand practical skills development and address youth unemployment.
The directive was announced by Eng. Raymond Kamugisha, the Director of Presidential Projects and Industrial Hubs at State House, who represented State House Comptroller Jane Barekye during a meeting at the Mengo Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Kayunga District.
Kamugisha called on leaders from the Greater Luweero sub-region to identify and secure suitable land for the proposed facility.
The meeting brought together State House officials and leaders from districts served by the Kayunga hub to discuss training programmes, employment opportunities for graduates, financing through savings and credit cooperative organisations (SACCOs) and agricultural activities.
Kamugisha said the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hubs were established to address unemployment, population growth, limited access to formal education and the pressure on the relatively small proportion of the population engaged in productive work.
He said the programme equips young people with practical skills to start businesses, create employment for themselves and contribute to economic development, regardless of their formal education background.
“The programme admits beneficiaries regardless of their formal education background and equips them with practical skills for self-employment and enterprise development,” Kamugisha said.
The hubs currently offer training in welding, carpentry and joinery, bakery, tailoring, hairdressing, shoemaking, and building and concrete practice.
Kamugisha said Museveni had also directed the introduction of four additional courses: electrical installation, knitting and weaving, automotive mechanics, and plumbing.
He said the expanded curriculum would give more young people access to technical skills that could help them secure employment or establish their own enterprises.
“With all the challenges we have as a country, many can be solved through skilling, and I can tell you that our students are doing very well in the field,” Kamugisha said.
He challenged local government leaders to consider qualified graduates for suitable contracts in their districts, arguing that access to such opportunities would help beneficiaries gain experience, grow their businesses and generate income.
Kamugisha also urged graduates to approach district authorities and pursue available opportunities rather than wait for officials to approach them.
The discussions highlighted the need to strengthen the transition from vocational training to employment and enterprise development, with SACCO financing expected to help beneficiaries establish income-generating activities.
Mukono Resident District Commissioner Hajjat Fatuma Ndisaba challenged graduates to take greater responsibility for their economic advancement by pursuing government opportunities and accessing financing available through their SACCOs.
Ndisaba questioned why some beneficiaries continued to seek additional facilitation despite receiving free training and access to Shs50 million in financing for the hub SACCOs.
“You have been given free education and Shs 50 million for the hub SACCOs, but again you ask for transport to attend SACCO meetings at the district. Those who need the money should be ready to chase for it,” Ndisaba said.
She urged graduates to organise themselves, engage their SACCOs and pursue opportunities to grow their enterprises.
However, Ndisaba also called for a government directive, implemented through the relevant ministries, to facilitate access to suitable small contracts for qualified graduates within local governments.
She said such opportunities would help graduates build their businesses, accumulate capital and supplement the start-up financing available through the SACCOs.
Charles Karangwa, vice chairperson of the Mengo Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub and National Resistance Movement (NRM) district chairperson for Buikwe, commended Museveni for introducing the programme, saying it was helping improve young people's livelihoods.
Karangwa urged communities to embrace vocational training as an intervention to address youth unemployment.
“I ask all of us to embrace this initiative because it is a programme that can help in fighting unemployment among the youth,” Karangwa said.
Agnes Kirabo Nantongo, vice chairperson of the National Women's Council and Luweero District Women's Council chairperson, also welcomed the planned hub but urged young people to use the skills and start-up financing available to them rather than complain about limited opportunities.
Kirabo offered land she had previously acquired for a skilling centre to State House for consideration as a possible site for the proposed facility.
“Director, I have the land and I am donating it to you, but if it is not suitable for the State House, then you can look for another one,” Kirabo said.
The suitability of the land will determine whether it can be considered for the project.
The Mengo Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Kayunga currently serves 17 administrative units, including Luweero, Nakasongola, Nakaseke, Butambala, Mpigi, Wakiso, Kayunga, Buikwe, Buvuma and Mukono districts, as well as several municipalities, including Nansana, Makindye-Ssabagabo, Kira, Entebbe, Lugazi, Njeru and Mukono.
According to the information presented at the meeting, the hub is the second-largest in terms of administrative coverage after the Ankole Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub, which serves 18 administrative units.
The engagement was part of State House efforts to assess the performance of the skilling hubs, identify challenges affecting beneficiaries and strengthen collaboration between hub administrators, graduates and local government leaders.
Each hub accommodates about 240 trainees, who undertake different courses over six-month training cycles, according to the information provided.
The proposed Luweero facility is expected to extend vocational training opportunities to more young people in the Greater Luweero sub-region, while the expansion of courses and improved access to contracts and financing are intended to help graduates turn their skills into sustainable businesses.