Skills transfer helps young people in Uganda

KIRYANDONGO, Uganda — Over 100 meters underground and below the Nile River, 25-year old Martin Wandile operates a crane as a Chinese contractor enters the final stage of completing the construction of a mega-hydropower plant in the midwestern district of Kiryandongo.

Wandile is among the thousands of Ugandans who have gained skills from Chinese contractors and are working on several projects in the East African country. The jobs range from road and energy infrastructure development to medical aid.

Wandile is a qualified electrician after he earned a certificate from a vocational school in the capital Kampala, about 260 kilometers south of Kiryandongo.

A friend shared with him a possible job opportunity at the construction site of the 600-megawatt Karuma Hydro Power project.

Sinohydro Corporation, the Chinese contractor, offered him a job, like the other 6,000-plus young Ugandans who have worked at the site at different stages of its construction.

Although Wandile entered as an electrician, his Chinese supervisors encouraged him to diversify. Two and a half years later, Wandile has gained skills in operating a crane in the power house, a key section of the power project which is underground. It is the first of its kind in east and central Africa, industry experts said.

“I need knowledge, even up to now I still want to learn new things. Them (Chinese) coming to Africa, they are trying to give us skills. All we can do is just be open to learn new things,” Wandile said.

Andrew Kamagara, a civil engineer at the Karuma power plant project, sings the praises of his Chinese supervisors.

Far beyond what he learned at university three years ago, Kamagara said Chinese engineers have given him new experiences about design, especially for big projects like power plant construction.

“I have gained a lot of skills like knowledge in complex design for underground structures which we were not taught in school. In school, we were taught how to design small projects like buildings, roads,”

Kamagara said, adding he has also learned to execute each task on time.

“I can implement what I have been taught. If we come together as a group like from different departments, I know we are able to execute what we have been taught,” he said. His dream is to start a civil engineering company.

Guo Dajun, chief engineer at the Karuma project, said once a worker is identified as having basic skills, he or she is given job training. Every month, employees are taken on for quality assurance training, Guo said.

Uganda has a burgeoning youth population. The World Bank said some 75 percent of the population is below the age of 30, with the coun

try having one of the highest youth unemployment rates in Africa.

The huge number of young people and high levels of unemployment call for urgent action.

Chinese companies operating in Uganda have been transferring work skills to local employees, who then can use those skills to better their lives.

Through job training, especially in the infrastructure projects, over 80,000 employees have gained skills, not only in construction but also in middle and top management levels, according to figures provided by the Chinese embassy.