Capacity Building of Ugandan Tripartite partners on Quality Apprenticeship, 15 – 17 August 2017

Kampala/Dar es Salaam (ILO News) The ILO is providing technical support to the Government of Uganda to develop a National Apprenticeship Framework. Through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, a three day capacity building workshop on quality apprenticeship has been organized for social partners and the private sector. The workshop is scheduled for 15-17 August 2017 at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, and is primarily aimed at strengthening capacity of government, private sector and social partners on implementation of quality apprenticeship programmes.

According to Mr. Pius Bigirimana, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, this capacity building workshop comes in at a time when the Ministry is finalizing the draft National Apprenticeship Framework.

“… It is therefore planned that the capacity building workshop will also utilize the opportunity to review the draft National Apprenticeship Framework and seek sector Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries’ endorsement of the draft Framework before it is submitted to cabinet for final clearance”, said Mr. Bigirimana.

He further notes that it’s through apprenticeships as a form of work place based learning, that many employers can realize increased productivity at the workplace and enterprises.

In May 2017, the ILO signed up a partnership with the government of Norway through its development arm, NORAD to implement 6 months project on Strengthening Institutional Systems for Apprenticeship in Uganda. Over the next six months, the ILO will hence support the Government of Uganda to finalise the National Apprenticeship framework, develop operating guidelines and support materials for apprenticeships, support the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to develop a pilot project on apprenticeship and increase public awareness on apprenticeships and how they work.

Uganda is the most recent addition to the ILO countries under the ILO/NORAD partnership implementing apprenticeship programmes in Africa. Others are, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia.