At least 250 apprentices have been selected for a six-month training program at the Jinja-based Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) and various hotels to tackle the skills shortage in the hospitality industry.

This year’s trainees, drawn from the Rwenzori and Albertine regions, include 150 oriented at UHTTI, 70 at Millennium Business School (MBS) in Hoima City, and 30 at Be Better Academy (BBA) in Kampala. They will receive hands-on training for roles such as room attendants, receptionists, cooks, and waitstaff, enhancing their employability and contributing to regional economic development.

Over the next three years, 750 more apprentices will undergo similar training, funded by Enabel, the Belgian government's development agency, with a budget of €800,000. The project is a collaboration between the Uganda Hotel Owners Association (UHOA), UHTTI, and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.

UHOA Executive Director, Ms Jean Byamugisha, noted that over 700 applied for the apprenticeship program, but only 250 were selected.

“We want to address unemployment in hotels; a lot of hotels require manpower, so this is part of the solution to address skills shortage in the hotels. We have selected the best of the best in the region,” Ms Byamugisha said.

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