Vocational skills – northern Uganda’s hope for jobs among youth

In many parts of Uganda, thousands of young people continue to struggle with unemployment despite having completed their formal education. 

As demands for practical and technical skills grow across East Africa, vocational training institutions are becoming increasingly vital lifelines for young people seeking self-reliance and stable incomes.

In northern Uganda, TARA Vocational Training Institute is steadily transforming lives by equipping learners with hands-on skills in tailoring, bakery, construction, carpentry and Joinery (CJ), hair dressing and other technical fields.

The institute is supported by Korea Hope Foundation under the leadership of Akullu Grace Regina, the Director of Tara Vocational Institute and Positive Hope Uganda.

For the last three years, the institution which is located at Madi Opei town council in Lamwo District along Kitgum-Musingo Highway to South Sudan has helped vulnerable youth, school dropouts, and young mothers gain employable skills that are already changing their futures.

Speaking during an engagement at the institute, Akullu Grace Regina said vocational education is becoming increasingly important because it provides learners with practical abilities that can quickly generate income.

“The world is moving toward vocational and technological education because learners can gain skills quickly and start earning within a short time,” Akullu said.

The school currently offers practical training using modern equipment, including bakery machines and tailoring facilities among others, enabling learners to gain experience from the early stages of their studies.

Several learners have already completed Uganda vocational business training assessments, allowing them to compete for jobs locally and internationally.

According to Susan Leo Layet, the school administrator, graduates from the institute are already working in different parts of Uganda and South Sudan, where technical and vocational skills remain highly in demand.

Among the former beneficiaries is Lakot Gladys, a tailoring graduate who completed her studies at TARA Vocational Training Institute two years ago. She recalls the struggles she faced while trying to complete her education because of financial challenges.

“Things were not easy for me when I was studying because paying school fees was a big challenge,” Lakot said. “Sometimes I almost gave up, but I continued because I knew the skills would help me in the future.”

Today, Gladys earns an income through tailoring and clothing design, something she says has helped her become financially independent.

“Right now, I make clothes for people and I earn around shs200,000 every month. The training changed my life because I can now support myself and meet some family needs,” she explained.

Layet Susan Leo, school administrator, says stories like Gladys’ demonstrate how vocational education can provide immediate economic opportunities, especially for young women who may not have had access to higher education.

Another success story is Oweka Richard, who completed a Building and Construction Practice (BCP) course at the institute. Richard is currently working in South Sudan where he is earning a living as a builder.

According to the school, many former learners have crossed borders in search of opportunities after acquiring practical skills that are highly demanded in the region.

“Vocational skills are marketable everywhere. We have learners who are now working in South Sudan and other parts of Uganda because construction and technical work are always needed,” Odwar Thomas, the instructor in the department of BCP explained.

Richard says the course equipped him with practical experience that made it easier for him to secure work opportunities outside Uganda.

“The training gave me confidence and experience. In South Sudan, I can earn money through construction work and support my family back home,” Richard reportedly shared through the school administration.

The institution is also attracting new learners who hope to transform their futures through technical education. One of them is Ongwec Henry, who joined the institution earlier this year. Henry says he dreams of becoming independent and supporting his younger siblings through school.

“I want to gain skills that can help me earn money and become self-reliant,” Ongwec said. “My dream is to support my brothers and sisters in education and also build my own house in the future.”

Grace Regina Akullu, the director of TARA Vocational Training Institute says many learners come from vulnerable backgrounds, including child mothers and youth from low-income families. While the institution has made significant progress, administrators admit that several challenges remain.

One of the major challenges is the lack of accommodation facilities for learners coming from distant districts and neighbouring countries such as South Sudan. Currently, many students commute daily because the school does not yet have hostel facilities.

Management is now appealing for support to establish hostels and a daycare centre for child mothers who attend training while caring for their babies.

“We have child mothers in the institution who come with babies to class. Some carry their children while operating machines during practical lessons. We need support to establish a daycare centre so they can study comfortably,” Akullu noted.

The institution sits on approximately nine acres of land with access to water and electricity, offering enough space for future expansion projects including agriculture and food production.

Education experts like Banabas Langoya, the Lamwo district education officer, continue to emphasise that vocational and technical education is critical in addressing unemployment among Uganda’s growing youth population.

Unlike traditional academic systems that often take years before learners enter the job market, vocational education provides practical skills that can generate income almost immediately.

For many young people like Gladys, Richard, and Henry, vocational training is more than education, it is a pathway to dignity, survival, and hope for a better future.

As Uganda continues to grapple with youth unemployment, institutions such as TARA Vocational Training Institute are proving that practical skills can open doors to opportunity and transform communities one learner at a time.