Overview:
This year’s cohort placed deliberate emphasis on inclusion, with women and persons with disabilities (PWDs) forming a significant share of beneficiaries.
Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) has graduated 140 young people under its Learning for Life programme, positioning the initiative as a direct response to rising youth unemployment and persistent inequalities in access to formal jobs.
The programme equips participants with practical business and hospitality skills aimed at improving employability in Uganda’s fast-growing tourism and hospitality sector. This year’s cohort placed deliberate emphasis on inclusion, with women and persons with disabilities (PWDs) forming a significant share of beneficiaries.
Of the 140 graduates, 54 were women, 70 men, and 16 persons with disabilities — a shift UBL says reflects its commitment to reducing barriers faced by marginalised groups. The approach aligns with Uganda Breweries’ 2030 sustainability action plan, which commits the company to ensuring that at least 50 per cent of beneficiaries from its community programmes are women, while deliberately empowering underrepresented populations.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, UBL Corporate Relations Director Sheila Sabune said youth unemployment remains one of Uganda’s most urgent development challenges, making skills-based interventions critical.
“Every year, about 400,000 young Ugandans enter the job market to compete for roughly 9,000 formal jobs,” Sabune said. “This means many qualified youths remain unemployed or underemployed. As UBL, our goal is to equip young people with practical, marketable skills that give them a competitive advantage.”
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2024 census, Uganda’s overall unemployment rate stands at 12.3 per cent. However, youth aged 15 to 24 are disproportionately affected, with 42.6 per cent not in employment, education, or training, highlighting widespread underemployment in low-productivity jobs.
Sabune noted that the Learning for Life programme focuses on bridging this gap by offering industry-recognised training, including certification from the Diageo Bar Academy.
“Our bar skills certification is recognised in many countries, meaning these skills are not only marketable locally but internationally,” she said. “This opens doors beyond Uganda’s borders.”
The graduation also drew praise from the tourism industry. Uganda Tourism Association President Yogi Biriggwa said investing in people is essential for the growth and competitiveness of Uganda’s tourism sector.
“This training prepares you for real jobs and real customers,” Biriggwa told graduates. “It supports youth employment and business creation across the tourism value chain. When you strengthen skills, you strengthen destinations.”
She added that the hospitality industry continues to evolve and demands workers who are adaptable, innovative, and committed to continuous learning.
As Uganda grapples with high youth unemployment and widening income inequality, programmes such as Learning for Life are increasingly seen as critical pathways for equipping young people — particularly women and persons with disabilities — with the skills needed to access decent work and sustainable livelihoods.