The relevance of Uganda’s formal vocational education to the labour market requirements (case study: electrical engineering field)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the actual state of Uganda's formal vocational education in the field of electrical engineering and the degree to which it meets today's labour market requirements. The findings are intended to act as a point of departure for the BTVET department in the Ministry of Education and Sports, to enhance policies that will change the vocational education curriculum in Uganda to match the effects of globalization. The research was exploratory and descriptive in nature. Data were obtained from governing board members, trainers and trainees from VET institutions, employed VET graduates and their employers and a retired senior employee of UEB, who were purposively and randomly sampled. Interview, observation, and documentary analysis methods were employed for data collection and data were qualitatively analyzed. The main findings were that VET institutions in Uganda operate in isolation from the world of work, they are ill equipped; hence practice theoretical training with a negligible amount of hands-on learning. The curriculum used is outdated and does not fully match the labour market requirements of an electrician today. I conclude that the current training accorded to electricians does not fully equip trainees with the world of work requirements. I therefore recommend an urgent review of the curriculum for training of electricians; re-introduction of apprenticeship; re-training of instructors and increase funding of VET institutions both by public and private sectors.