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250 trainees selected to address skills shortage in hotel sector
Some of the 250 apprentices who were oriented to undergo a six-month off-job and on-job training at Jinja-based Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) and various hotels respectively on July 26, 2024. PHOTO | PHILIP WAFULA
What you need to know:
- UHOA Executive Director, Ms Jean Byamugisha, noted that over 700 applied for the apprenticeship program, but only 250 were selected.
At least 250 apprentices have been selected for a six-month training program at the Jinja-based Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) and various hotels to tackle the skills shortage in the hospitality industry.
This year’s trainees, drawn from the Rwenzori and Albertine regions, include 150 oriented at UHTTI, 70 at Millennium Business School (MBS) in Hoima City, and 30 at Be Better Academy (BBA) in Kampala. They will receive hands-on training for roles such as room attendants, receptionists, cooks, and waitstaff, enhancing their employability and contributing to regional economic development.
Over the next three years, 750 more apprentices will undergo similar training, funded by Enabel, the Belgian government's development agency, with a budget of €800,000. The project is a collaboration between the Uganda Hotel Owners Association (UHOA), UHTTI, and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
UHOA Executive Director, Ms Jean Byamugisha, noted that over 700 applied for the apprenticeship program, but only 250 were selected.
“We want to address unemployment in hotels; a lot of hotels require manpower, so this is part of the solution to address skills shortage in the hotels. We have selected the best of the best in the region,” Ms Byamugisha said.
She encouraged apprentices to demonstrate discipline and hard work, emphasizing that those who excel would have opportunities to compete regionally and internationally.
Mr Alex Denis Ojambo, UHOA board member who represented the chairlady of the association, Ms Susan Muhwezi, said: “The project will enable 750 Ugandan youth to study and work in the hospitality industry.”
Mr Hilary Businge, Assistant Commissioner for Labour Productivity at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, highlighted that inadequate skills are barriers to employment for young people.
“In response to this challenge, the government is revitalizing apprenticeship as strategic intervention for young people to obtain skills to ease integration into the labour markets,” Mr Businge, who represented the Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Ms Esther Anyakun, added.
Training
The apprentices will initially train at UHTTI for six weeks, followed by five months at various hotels. UHTTI Academic Registrar, Mr Richard Nkonge, explained that training will include continuous assessments, weekly presentations, and tests, leading to a certificate from UHTTI. During the final two weeks, apprentices will take assessment tests from the Directorate of Industrial Training to receive a Level One certificate.
Mr Ibrahim Wako Kisu, the Apprenticeship and Graduate Volunteer Officer at the Ministry, urged trainees to dress appropriately to avoid workplace harassment and encouraged victims to speak out.
