The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) has announced a fund to a tune of US $2 million (about Shs7.4 billion) to be used by three institutions to enhance IT and leadership skills among youths in Uganda.
NORAD, which is under the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gave the funds to Clarke International University (CIU), Laboremus and NGO Fontes Foundation.
Over the years, the employment sector has chastised education institutions for producing people that are unemployable because of lack of skills that can be applied to solve existing problems.
Under this program, which is kicking off in March 2019 with the first cohort, the three partner organizations will give university graduates the skillsets required to “lift Uganda towards becoming a global player in the technology ecosystem.”
According to the program structure showing how the project will run, participants will undergo IT training and soft skilling which will be carried out through a bootcamp and lectures.
In the first phase of the program, successful applicants will enroll for the Accelerated Learning Course (ALC).
This will run for three months and it will involve training in leadership, critical thinking, IT project management, as well as introductions to different technologies.
After this round, a six-month immersive boot camp will be unveiled and here the participants will undergo practical learning through projects with industry partners.
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The third and last round of the project will be the Last Mile Training (LMT) through which participants will have an opportunity to work at an elite ICT company for 6-12 months.
The implementing organizations say the focus is on fresh graduates from IT-related disciplines. However, they add, students from other disciplines will have an equal opportunity of being admitted.
More than 500 Ugandans are expected to benefit from this project directly while other 2000 will participate through outreach programs.
Dr. Rose Clarke Nanyonga, the Vice-Chancellor at Clarke International University says she is happy about the project since it “will suitably equip trainees to become software craftsmen/women able to contribute to the ICT sector industry growth.”
Clarke International University will host the program.
To show interest in the program, click here.
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