350 Youth Enrol for Free Vocational Training at Subway Skilling Centre Under Museveni Initiative

KAMPALA — A total of 350 young people have enrolled for a six-month free vocational skills training programme at the Subway Skilling Centre in Kampala under the Presidential Initiative on Skilling the Girl and Boy Child (PISGBC).

The trainees, who form the centre’s eighth cohort, will receive practical training in bakery, weaving, knitting and shoemaking.

The programme is part of a presidential initiative aimed at equipping disadvantaged young people with practical skills to help them become self-reliant, secure employment and improve their livelihoods.

At the end of the six-month programme, the trainees will undergo assessment by the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) before graduation. Graduates will then be encouraged to use the skills acquired to start businesses or seek employment.

Centre Provides Meals to Trainees Ms. Katushabe Stellamaris, Supervisor of the Subway Skilling Centre, said the centre provides breakfast and lunch to trainees to help them concentrate on their studies throughout the training period.

She said the programme primarily targets disadvantaged young people, including youths from ghettos and school dropouts, by providing them with practical skills and a second chance to improve their lives. “We target the unprivileged students, including those from the ghettos and school dropouts. Our aim is to give them a second chance so that they can live better and happier lives,” Katushabe said.

Subway Centre Seeks More Space Ms. Ronah Kamahoro Natukunda, Administrator of the Subway Skilling Centre, said the facility currently has the capacity to train only 350 students because of limited space.

She appealed for additional space and training facilities, saying this would enable the centre to accommodate more young people seeking vocational skills.

Natukunda said the programme has transformed the lives of many young people who have passed through the centre, with several graduates using their skills to establish businesses and earn a living.

She commended President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for supporting disadvantaged young people and creating opportunities for those who previously struggled to find a path towards self-reliance.

“Many people have reformed and are now doing well because of these opportunities. We thank the President for helping the needy and those who had lost hope in life,” she said.

Trainees Hope to Become Self-Reliant The newly enrolled students expressed appreciation for the opportunity, saying the vocational skills they are acquiring will help them become self-reliant and improve their livelihoods after completing the programme.

The Presidential Initiative on Skilling the Girl and Boy Child is a free vocational training programme established by State House in 2017 under the directive of President Museveni to equip disadvantaged young people with practical skills and create opportunities for self-employment.

The initiative continues to provide vocational training opportunities to young people who may have limited access to formal education or employment.