Tourism is a key sector earmarked by the Government of Uganda for socio-economic transformation. The sector’s role in Uganda’s development process is well articulated in the Uganda Vision 2040, NDPIV, Tourism Policy 2015 and Tourism Master Plan 2014. Meaningful contribution of tourism to development is only possible if there is well trained manpower at operational and strategic levels. While skilled youth contribute over 78% of the overall youth value addition to tourism, majority of the youth in tourism are unskilled. Currently, female youth in tourism are the least skilled and lowest paid, but when skilled, they contribute better to society than the male youth.

Uganda suffers from high youth unemployment. Annually, over 600,000 youth enter the job market, but few find employment. Unemployment is linked to lack of education and training and inability of entrepreneurs to create sustainable jobs. More than 85% of Ugandan youth do not possess post-secondary education. Up to 65% of them never complete primary seven. All of these leave school without any technical skill. And they are the ones in the job market. However, the educated youth, including university graduates, also suffer from high unemployment due to lack of technical and soft skills. While vocational and business skills training are known to increase employability and job creation, this type of skilling is still weak in Uganda. Majority of university students do not learn any vocational skills as their studies focus mostly on theory. As part of hustling, the youth join the informal sector where jobs are less stable and with lower rewards. The ones who choose self-employment, lack mentorship, handholding, and key skills necessary to run and grow an enterprise. Consequently, youth unemployment, poverty and the resultant social problems continue. Tourism has capacity to create jobs, employ women and the youth however, the sector has not had a holistic development programme that targets the youth and women, both in paid employment and entrepreneurship. No programme targets university graduates with technical and vocational skills training yet evidence suggests that when skilled, this group has the greatest potential to contribute to the economy.

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  • The MUBS Tourism Industrial Skilling Program

    This is a programme by the MUBS Department of Tourism aimed at equipping the youth with the highest standard practical occupational skills with industrial competencies which align to the changing demands of the world of work. By pursuing any of the short courses, a youth will be able to:

    1. Acquire a technical skill to do a specific job.
    2. Obtain level II DIT certification
    3. Obtain international certification in air ticketing
    4. Obtain MUBS Certificate of Competency
    5. Start and successfully run an enterprise through our handholding programme
    6. Easily find work either as an employee or employer

    Each short course lasts 3-5 months and 70% of the training is practical, delivered in conjunction with the tourism practitioners. All courses have practical modules on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, marketing and basic legal knowledge.

  • Who is Eligible for the MUBS Tourism INDUSTRIAL SKILLING PROGRAM?

    The following are the people who can benefit from the short course trainings:

    1. Tourism and Hospitality students especially those who want to have a practical skill before leaving university. The skill will significantly increase employability and self-employment chances.
    2. Final and continuing students of other Academic programs. Our short courses will give them a real technical skill around which to build the rest of the business knowledge acquired from the university.
    3. Children and dependents of MUBS staff, specifically graduates and others who are struggling to find work or those who are looking to breakthrough with real-life marketable skills.
    4. Senior six holiday makers as they prepare for university and post-secondary life. Even if someone has senior 4, they’re eligible to do these courses.
    5. Spouses of MUBS staff members, especially house wives. Some courses have been designed for them.
    6. Academic and non-academic staff who have a passion for tourism and would like to have a side income or are looking for a long-term investment field.
    7. Labor export companies, specifically for some key courses like house management, front office, food and beverage service, barista, and bakery.

    Available Short Courses.

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