LocationsEmpowering Uganda’s Youth through Vocational Skilling Under the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative
October 7, 2025
UNDP Resident Representative (centre) takes a group photo with TVET graduates in Tororo district
In Uganda, where over 70% of the population is under the age of 30, youth unemployment remains one of the country’s most pressing challenges. Despite improvements in access to education through Universal Primary and Secondary Education, a staggering 4.2 million young people, 41% of the youth population, are not in employment, education, or training (NEETs). In regions like Lango and Elgon, this figure rises to 49.3% and 44.1% respectively. For every 10 young Ugandans, nearly half are left behind, disconnected from opportunities that could shape their futures.
To address this crisis, the European Union (EU) and United Nations (UN) Spotlight Initiative, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), launched a transformative vocational skilling programme targeting out-of-school youth. The initiative is not only equipping young people with market-relevant skills but also integrating sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) education and gender-based violence (GBV) response, creating a holistic empowerment model.
The programme focuses on adolescent girls, young women, and boys aged 16–24 from vulnerable backgrounds across 17 districts including Amudat, Arua, Kitgum, Tororo, and Gulu. Priority is given to survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV), early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and youth refugees’ groups often excluded from traditional economic pathways.
The Greater Community Impact
UNDP Resident Representative and key stakeholders after the graduation ceremony in Tororo district
Since its inception, the programme has already certified 444 youth through the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) and Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB). An additional 720 youth are currently undergoing training in 2025. The courses offered span a wide range of trades including plumbing, electrical installation, motor vehicle mechanics, solar installation, fashion and design, digital skilling, baking, carpentry, and more.
To ensure sustainability, the initiative provides start-up kits tailored to each trade, sewing machines, brick-making machines, toolboxes for mechanics, and plumbing tools, enabling graduates to launch their own businesses or secure formal employment. Twenty youth groups have been formalized and linked to government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Uganda Youth Livelihood Programme (UYLEP), and Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP), further enhancing their access to financial and institutional support.
The impact of this skilling initiative is already visible. Young people are finding gainful employment, some have returned to school, and teenage mothers are now able to pay school fees for their children from the proceeds of their businesses. In Tororo, for instance, several youths who had dropped out have re-enrolled in school, inspired by the confidence and income gained through vocational training.
Moreover, the integration of GBV and SRHR education has created a ripple effect in communities. Graduates are emerging as champions of GBV prevention and SRHR awareness, contributing to safer and more informed communities. Health camps and linkages to service providers have ensured that skilling is not just about economic empowerment but also about holistic well-being.
"I’m so glad about this day it has been a long journey to make it to graduation day. At the start, I didn’t know which course to take I was only interested in doing catering. But when i was taken to Tororo Technical Institute, I was introduced to number of engineering courses like building and construction which I thought was for only men. But when I started the building course, I gradually developed an interest in it. I never imagined I could become an engineer, but I ended up being one of the best students."Asero Babra, TVET Graduate
This success is built on strong partnerships. UNDP collaborates with the European Union, the Government of the Netherlands, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, 17 district local governments, and 19 Technical and Vocational Education Training Institutions. These partnerships ensure that the programme is locally grounded and nationally aligned with Uganda’s Human Capital Development priorities.
Looking ahead
The initiative plans to expand its reach and deepen its impact. Future plans include direct procurement of quality start-up kits, partnerships with UN Women and the private sector for internships and employment, provision of digital skills and maker spaces, and stronger linkages to markets. There is also a focus on promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, enhancing life skills training, and continuous monitoring to ensure responsiveness to emerging needs.
Through vocational skilling under the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative, Uganda’s youth are not just learning trades they are reclaiming their futures, breaking cycles of poverty, and becoming agents of change in their communities.