Experts have tipped gradates on navigating the current hurdles in Uganda’s job market
Speaking during a career empowerment event organized by BrighterMonday Uganda and Mastercard Foundation at Motiv in Kampala,Evelyn Lwanga Ssematimba, the head of human capital and administration at MUA Insurance Uganda said whereas many graduates come to the job market with good qualification, there are key aspects that employers look out for before hiring them.
“You might come with very good qualifications and that nice transcript but we are looking for someone who is confident and able to present themselves. So when I say this, I mean communication skills. Are you able to express yourself? Are you able to speak to your CV? Sometimes people present to us very nice CVs, but when you ask them to tell you about themselves, they're unable to do that,” Ssematimba said.
“As the hiring panel, it is hard for us to hire someone who cannot even tell us about themselves. So please work on the skill of communication.”
What do you bring to the organization?
The head of human capital and administration of MUA Insurance said on many occasions, fresh graduates don’t even bother to find out about the organization they want to join, yet this is key.
“What kind of value are you bringing to the organization? What your career aspirations are. Those are things that are very important. Please don't go to a company that you know nothing about because we want you to project yourself as a solutions provider. If you come to MUA insurance and you're telling us that you want to be employed with us, it is important for us to understand where from where you sit as the job seeker, what is the problem that you want to solve for MUA? So you're not going to be able to give us that unless you have done some research. So be proactive and go beyond that, the extra mile to say, what kind of solution am I bringing to the table?”
“You must have an executive presence which is really the ability for you to command respect and confidence when you walk into a room. Are you believable? Are people going to even give you two minutes to speak to you? This cannot happen unless you are well presented. How are you dressed?How are you smelling? These are things that are very easy to neglect, because you think I'm an A class student, I'm a B class. But if you are not looking good, you cannot speak well, you are not going to be given an audience.”
According to Ssematimba said adaptability and digital literacy are also key for any employee.
“ The world is changing. The changes are too many. We are stepping so fast into the digital space, the decisions that are being made from the HR office output, attention, driven, so equip yourself with data literacy trainings and be able to take charge of the data and make it make sense, make it make me meaning, so that we're able to make decisions also, I think those are the ones that I can help you.”
The high-impact stakeholder event under the theme “Take Control: Own Your Career Path”, brought together over 60 participants—including young job seekers, private sector leaders, policymakers, and innovators.
Speaking at the same event, BrighterMonday Uganda’s Country Programme Lead, Pamela Kabahesi underscored the role of urgency and empowerment.
“Uganda’s youth must not wait for opportunity—they must be equipped to shape their own future,” she said.
The event also featured an interactive panel discussion, breakout sessions for both job seekers and employers, and demonstrations of BrighterMonday’s new AI-powered career tools designed to help youth navigate the job market more effectively.
Attendees also interacted with experiential booths showcasing BrighterMonday’s new career resources, including a hands-on AI career assistant that offers personalized job search guidance.
The event was part of a larger TakeControl campaign aimed at equipping 140,000+ young Ugandans
with the tools, knowledge, and access they need to succeed in a rapidly changing job market.
Kabahesi said BrighterMonday and MasterCard Foundation are implementing the young Africa works strategy, under which they are implementing generation Kazi.
“The program that we are implementing under the foundation is mainly around doing soft skills.We have entrepreneurship, we have digital skills, we have financial literacy. So those are the skills under which we're implementing generation Kazi. And then we also have an opportunity an opportunity to access an AI career tool. What that simply means is that the career tool can help you to do mock interview that can help you to write a series, to coach your negotiation and to do a cover letter. So we realized that these are many things that the youth are struggling with. You've got the qualifications, you've got some training, but how do you get into that? The one paper that can sell you to a potential employer is your CV. So we have that too as well.”
The CEO of The African Talent Company (TATC) Hilda Kabushenga said the session was not just discussing youth empowerment but actively shaping what it looks like.
"To employers, business owners, leaders, and development partners: the future of our businesses and institutions is seated right here. These are ambitious, talented, and hard-working young people who, with the proper training and support, can become valuable contributors to any team," Kabushenga said.
"This is the heart of our partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. Together, we are committed to equipping young people with the employability skills they need to thrive in a constantly evolving job market. And we are deeply passionate about inclusion — ensuring that every young person, regardless of their background, has access to dignified work that matches their talents and aspirations."
She however insisted that the future of work is not something to wait for but build together.