KWEEN, SEBEI SUB-REGION – The Minister of Local Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, has made a stop at the Sebei Presidential Industrial Hub – Kween, where he encouraged learners to appreciate President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for establishing Presidential Skilling Centers across the country.

Hon. Balaam, who previously served as State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, said the hubs were deliberately started by the President to equip young Ugandans with practical, hands-on skills to fight unemployment and transition from job seekers to job creators.

“With the skills you have acquired, you don’t have to start looking for jobs. Use the skills very well to start your own jobs and have income,” Hon. Balaam told the trainees.

He noted that the Presidential Industrial Hubs are part of the government’s transformational agenda to help all Ugandans join the money economy. He urged the youth to utilize the skills to become employers rather than depend on white-collar jobs.

The Sebei Zonal Presidential Industrial Hub is one of the 19 hubs constructed across the country with the aim of equipping over 12,000 youths every year under the Presidential Initiative on skilling the youth.

The hub offers training in welding and metal fabrication, baking and confectionery, shoe-making, tailoring and garment design, carpentry and joinery, hairdressing, building and construction, value addition and common user facilities, among others. Each learner is awarded a Uganda Vocational Qualifications Level One Certificate by the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT), equivalent to the Uganda Certificate of Education level.

Hon. Balaam also pledged to continue rallying support to ensure that skilled youth access start-up capital and tools through government programs such as the Youth Livelihood Program to establish their own Enterprises.