Directorate of Industrial training with the statutory instrument of 1972 had the vision of social and economic development of both the nationals and the nation at large.

The vision was that once equipped with industrial, agricultural and commercial skills the poor living conditions would be changed to a pleasing, medium living phenomenon matching with the global village standards. Individuals would now become job makers, employers, tax-payers and developers than job seekers, idlers, beggars and name it, once equipped with the creative skills.

Skills used to develop Infrastructure – workers House – Kampala.

In 1986 when Uganda had just been liberated from the lengthy political turmoil, majority of the nationals were job seekers and the sole employer was Government with a non-producing sector.

Even the employed few had miserable remuneration. The absence or worrying state of a sound industrial sector aggravated it. The rate of construction as well as mechanical engineering skills was very low.

The line of action for the DIT was to immediately look for help from friendly countries, which sailed through similar waves. Assistance was obtained from the Germany Government and Vocational Training changed from conducting tailor made courses alone to introducing basic Vocational training courses taking on school leavers mainly from senior 4 and senior 6. These constituted the largest number of unemployed and had no future of getting further education.
A pilot Project was started at Lugogo VTC and has yield positive results. The positive scores from Lugogo VTC made DIT introduce the same nature of training in all its four institutions:
• Lugogo Vocational Training Institute.
• Nakawa Vocational Training Institute.
• Jinja Vocational Training Institute.
• Masulita Vocational Training Centre*.

Lugogo Vocational Training Institute. Lugogo Vocational Training Institute.

* In Masulita School leavers at tender ages i.e. from primary seven (P.7) to S,3 Or S,4 are being given training opportunity.
Another friendly hand was extended from the Japanese Government to give Nakawa Vocational Training Institute capacity to accommodate and train as many skills trainees as 500, which is slightly similar to Lugogo VTI and slightly higher than Jinja VTI.

The annual graduation target of all the four Vocational I institutes stood at 480 graduated skilled craftsmen eyed to become, Employers, Job creators, Taxpayers or investors for that matter.
H.E. The President of Uganda on the other hand supported the cause by attracting investors. These would find cheap industrialization factor, i.e. labour, the primary investment factor.
Those not absorbed or interested would start on their own and establish small workshops throughout the country to ensure uniform development. The mission is also to encourage individuals to produce quality exportable products. Already skilled people can export their skills to neighbouring countries.

Training of the Trainers for the private sector.

Vocational training exposes ones skills and gives him chance to develop his talents while developing the Nation. Vocational training is a two way approach and can also be extended to those without any academic qualifications, offering 75% practical and 25% theory. Skilled individual can be certified accordingly through the legal Trade Test certification offered by DIT. Here it differs from Technical Education where 25% is practical and 75% theory. DIT takes the responsibility of again Trade Testing the Technical Institute graduates to enhance their employment opportunities.

It is therefore primarily imperative to create career guidance instructions to schools at various levels as an avenue of combating potential unemployement, resulting from ignorance of the Vocation harbored by each individual youth.

There is support outside Government controlled Institutions and encouragement to Private Vocational Institutes has helped the Vocational training innovations to expand very fast. Presently in Uganda about 400 private skills trainers have volunteered to forge this noble cause ahead.

75% practical Training for Vocational Training.

Skills training and development
Skilled craftsmen have made it possible to reduce unemployement by 40%. A bigger number than ever before are engaged in various production geared towards infastructural development. The skilled are at the forefront in the construction industry, which has changed the face of kampala and its hinterlands. Hilly Kampala has now expanded from the traditional 5 hills to now cover more than 10 hills.

Construction industry has attracted development of other sister skills in welding, carpentry, plumbing, painting and decoration and electrical installation, farming e.t.c… These employment sectors have promoted social and economic development in turn. The DIT Institutions on account of the importance of these marketable trades endorses training primarily in these trades.

It is worthy noting that the secrete behind any country’s development is the sound skilled machinery it has.

Skills, the secrete behind development.