Ki kati /Hello, UCT graduate or (soon-to-be)!

Are you curious about what opportunities are open for you once you return to Uganda? This resource provides you some employment related information on your country, hints on where to start looking for work and who to connect with to access professional networks.

Despite Uganda’s slower economic growth, there are still plenty opportunities for you, there are skills shortages, innovation in technology is creating new opportunities and you also have a degree from a world class university.

If you are considering staying in South Africa to work, remember you would need a South African work permit. There is a section on that at the end of this resource.

Economic Overview

Population: 39.03 million (2015)

Total Labour Force: 15 111 603 (2014)

GPD: $26.37 billion (2015)

GDP Breakdown per sector:

Agriculture: 23.1% (2013 est.)

Industry: 26.9.6% (2013 est.)

Services: 50% (2013 est.)

GPD Growth: 5.0% (2015)

Unemployment: 3.8% (2014)

Inflation:5.2% (2015)

Source: http://www.worldbank.org/

(Uganda at a Glance)

Uganda 2015/2016 growth marginal2016

WATCH:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWaS5HndBhc

Published on 30 Jan 2016 by Africa News

“Uganda's economy has grown by 30 basis points in the

first quarter of 2015/2016, this is according to the latest

data from the country's statistics office.”

In demand skills:

Though Uganda have a high youth unemployment rate, experts blame a mismatch in industry

skills demand and an education system that is not meeting that demand. The following skills

are in demand in Uganda:

Accounting

Finance

Sales

Management

Administration

Computing professionals

Engineers

Health professionals

Scientists

Researchers

Sources: https://jobs.jumia.ug/en/career-report-september-2015.html

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20140327191835351

Main sectors of employment

Agriculture, construction, trade, manufacturing and tourism are some of the main sectors of employment

in Uganda. Remember that you don’t need to have a degree in tourism or mining for instance to work

in those sectors. Some degrees, like certain types of engineering, are specific to a context, but most

companies need an array of staff to manage finance, marketing, staff needs and more. Don’t limit your

options by looking in a sector specific location unless your qualification is that specialized. The main

sectors of employment listed below is only a starting point as they employ the largest number of people.

There are many more opportunities beyond this list. You just need to work at your CV, research

opportunities and network.

AGRICULTURE

Agriculture is at the core of Uganda’s economy contributing nearly a quarter of the GDP and employing

almost 80% of the workforce. The agricultural sector comprises three main segments namely cash

crops, food crops and horticultural produce. It is also a major source of raw materials for industry. The

country’s agricultural output has decreased over the last few years. This decline has led to sporadic

adoption of modern technology and techniques.

VIDEO : Uganda Agriculture

“Agriculture is Uganda’s most important economic sector, employing over 80 % of the work force. Now, some of the nation's small scale farmers are rethinking agriculture, investing in modern farming method that improves productivity…”

WATCH : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McVdP1A0r8w

Published on 18 February 2015 by TV2Africa

CONSTRUCTION

Despite challenges such as an increase in the cost of construction materia,l the Ugandan construction

sector has enjoyed sustained growth over the last decade. Management salaries in construction are

much higher than those in other sectors, reflecting the greater scarcity of skills and higher level of

technical knowledge in this sector.

VIDEO: Construction in Uganda

“An interview with Patrick Mugenyi of Hima Cement on the construction industry in Uganda and Hima's involvement.”

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7nI4YhMWDo

Published on 7 November 2014 by NTVUganda

TRADE

Trade is one of the main drivers of economic growth in Uganda. Uganda’s exports comprise mainly of

unprocessed products. This includes traditional exports such as coffee (Uganda’s main export),

tobacco, tea and cotton; and non-traditional exports such as horticulture produce, fish and fish-products

and construction materials. The Ugandan and Kenyan governments are also working towards

improving conditions for regional trade.

VIDEO: Uhuru urges Uganda to increase regional trade

“Increased regional trade will spark economic growth and accelerate regional integration, President Uhuru Kenyatta has said.Improving the ease of doing business and allowing the private sector to thrive were critical if government efforts to address policy and regulatory issues were to bear fruit, the President said on the second of a three-day state visit to Uganda.”

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVsHYp_JK9g

Published on 9 August 2015 by Capital FM Kenya

MANUFACTURING

Experts see manufacturing as a viable solution to Uganda’s unemployment. Increasing manufacturing

and exports could make the country less dependent on commodities.

READ: http://www.monitor.co.ug/Business/Prosper/Uganda-must-invest--

manufacturing/688616-3136832-igopdg/index.html

VIDEO: Uganda’s First Car Manufacturer Launched

“Kiira Motor Corporations to begin construction of first vehicles manufactured in Uganda. The plant

will be staged in Jinja and will produce cars for both exports and home consumption…”

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkLbPUxqNRM

Published on 7 Dec 2015 by NBS TV Uganda

TOURISM

Tourism in Uganda declined in 2015 due to terrorist attacks in the region. This does however means

that government is focused on investing and innovating in the sector to stimulate growth.

VIDEO: Uganda: Africa's pearl looking to shore up tourism numbers in 2016

“Tourism officials in Uganda are hoping to increase revenue in the sector, by promoting domestic

tourism, but this comes after the sector failed to hit arrival targets, last year. As Patrick Oyet reports,

the tourism board has set a higher target of 1.5 million tourists for 2016.”

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiNmdhkc4Ws

Published on 7 Jan 2016 by CCTV AFRICA

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

FinTech

VIDEO: BoU says embracing mobile technology is the future of banking in Uganda

“Bank of Uganda says ahead of the amendments on the Financial Institutions Act, in particular towards

deepening access of banking services; synergies with telecommunication firms is the way out. Currently

the mobile commerce platform by the Telecommunication service providers boosts of 19m subscribers,

compared to financial institutions that hold just approximately 4 million accounts. Speaking at the

National Consultative Strategy meeting on Financial literacy, Deputy Governor Dr Louis Kasekende,

reiterated the need for a harmonized approached in financial literacy and inclusion.”

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LthlLdXFYgo

Published on 9 December 2015 by NTVUganda

HealthTech

VIDEO:

“A charity in Uganda is helping to restore mobility for physically disadvantaged people, who cannot

afford imported artificial limbs. It is locally producing 3D prosthetic limbs for the disabled, and for people

who have lost arms and legs. CCTV's Isabel Nakirya reports”

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmFEltk26KQ

Published on 20 June 2016 by CCTV Africa

Routes to employment

Use a variety of strategies and channels to see what is out there for you. Don’t just limit yourself to

searching for job adverts, also network with people from the industry and companies you are interested

in.

SEARCHING ONLINE

It will be rare for a position not to be posted somewhere on the internet. Digital recruiting is a cheaper

and more flexible option for companies. It should be where you start looking.

Google

If you know what you are looking for and know how to ask for it, Google will find it for you - if it is out

there. When doing internet searches try various search words in combination. Start narrow and then

widen your search. Here is an example:

To find job boards that specialise in job postings in a specific industry for instance “Engineering in

Uganda”. Type the following in the Google search box:

engineering + job boards + Uganda

This tells Google to look for engineering job boards with opportunities based in Uganda. The “+” sign

ensures that all the requirements are included in the results. Replace engineering with whatever

industry you are looking in. But you should try out different words and combinations to make sure you

have searched extensively.

Another option can be to replace “job boards” with “job”. Like this:

Engineer job + Uganda or Engineer job + Kampala

You can be more specific about the type of engineering or the location in Uganda.

There are more versions of the word “job” that would yield the results you need. For example:

vacancy

opportunity

position

internship

graduate programme

Try as many as you can think of. Also, remember new jobs get added all the time, so don’t give up too

soon - keep searching over a period of time.

Searching on Linkedin:

If you go to https://www.linkedin.com/jobs you will be able to search for positions advertised on Linkedin

specifically. You can add a job title, or company name or other keywords in the Linkedin search box

and then combine it with Uganda or a specific location in Uganda. On the same Linkedin jobs page

you can also set your preferences so Linkedin can filter jobs that you might be interested in.

Newspapers:

Twenty years ago, newspapers were where jobseekers would search for opportunities. They are still a

useful resource; you never know; you might see something you have not searched for. Try the main

Ugandan newspapers available online:

New Vision

http://www.newvision.co.ug/

Red Pepper

http://www.redpepper.co.ug/

The Daily Monitor

http://www.monitor.co.ug/

The Independent

https://www.independent.co.ug/

The Observer

http://www.observer.ug/

Here is also a list of Ugandan focused recruitment websites:

Brighter Monday

https://www.brightermonday.co.ug/

Pnet

Type “Uganda” in the “Where” field

https://www.pnet.co.za

The Ugandan Jobline

http://www.theugandanjobline.com/

Uganda Jobline

http://ugandajobline.com/

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Professional associations or bodies provide you access to a community of people working in the sorts

of positions and companies where you want to work. Most sectors are likely to have such a professional

association. Some even have more than one. Becoming a member grants you access to a wealth of

insider information such as new developments in your chosen profession or more importantly work

opportunities.

When you head back to Uganda, a good place to start is to join a relevant professional association

there. Start putting your feelers out in your final year, so you can hit the ground running when graduation

is within sight. Once you are a member of a professional association, you will be alerted to their

organised activities usually via email or an online networking platform. The point is to meet and network

with other members of the association, so make sure you attend organised events to benefit and go

prepared to network.

Tips for networking at a professional association event:

1. Dress professionally and appropriately for the event

2. Be your smart, charming self

Remember networking has a social aspect to it. It’s not an interview, but it’s also not a

night out with your friends. Find a professional-sociable middle ground. 3. Make sure you have an updated CV ready

This will enable you to quickly respond if you hear about an opportunity or a member

offers to circulate your CV to his or her contacts. 4. Also keep your Linkedin profile current

People may search for you on Linkedin after the event 5. Take names and business cards of people you connected with

6. Utilise the contacts you made on the next business day

This way you will still be fresh in their minds. Send your CV if they asked for it, or contact

the people they suggested. Be sure to also thank the person who provided you with leads

for opportunities whether they turn up something or not. 7. Search Linkedin for people you met

Here’s how:

https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/302?query=searching%20for%20people%

20on%20Linkedin 8. Send them invitations to connect

Here’s how:

https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/118

9. Personalise your invitation to connect

Rather than just a blank invitation to connect, personalize your invitation. Here’s how:

https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/46662

List of Professional Associations

Administrative

National Association of Secretaries & Administrative Professionals Ltd

http://nasapuganda.org/about-us/

https://www.facebook.com/nasapug/?fref=nf

Agriculture

Association of Uganda Professional Women in Agriculture and Environment (AUPWAE)

http://www.aupwae.net/

https://www.facebook.com/AUPWAE-1423672767932644/?fref=photo

Uganda Forestry Association

http://www.nfa.org.ug/

https://www.facebook.com/nationalforestryauthority

https://twitter.com/NFAUG

National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda

http://www.nogamu.org.ug/

Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA)

http://www.ugandavet.org/

https://www.facebook.com/Uganda-Veterinary-Association-444552962293064/

Architecture, Construction, Surveying, Engineering and Real Estate

The Uganda Society of Architects

http://architects.ug/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/30041422769/?fref=nf

Institution of Surveyors of Uganda

http://www.surveyorsofuganda.org/

Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers

www.uipe.co.ug

Uganda Association of Consulting Engineers

www.uace.or.ug

https://ug.linkedin.com/in/uganda-association-of-consulting-engineers-17b44873

https://www.facebook.com/uace.or.ug/

Association of Real Estate Agents Uganda

www.areauganda.org

https://www.facebook.com/Association-of-Real-Estate-Agents-Uganda-149450998398394/

Banking, Finance and Insurance

Uganda Bankers Association

http://ugandabankers.org/

https://www.facebook.com/Ugandabankers

https://twitter.com/ugandabankers

The Insurance Institute of Uganda

www.iiu.ac.ug

https://www.facebook.com/theinsuranceinstituteofuganda/

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

www.accaglobal.com

https://www.facebook.com/ACCA-uganda-123062927743765/

Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU)

www.icpau.co.ug

https://www.facebook.com/ICPAU-240424029436815/

Chemistry

Uganda Society of Professional Chemists

http://ugandasocietyofprofessionalchemists.blogspot.co.za

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/4078116/profile

https://www.facebook.com/uspconline/

The Pharmaceutical Society Of Uganda (PSU)

http://psu.or.ug/new/

https://www.facebook.com/The-Pharmaceutical-Society-of-Uganda-PSU-311666655620503/

Education

The Uganda Association of Private Vocational Institutions

www.ugaprivi.org

Uganda Muslim Teachers Association

http://umtaug.org/

Environment

National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE)

http://www.nape.or.ug/

https://www.facebook.com/National-Association-of-Professional-Environmentalists-NAPE-

718481891535066/

https://twitter.com/nape36272826

Evaluation

The Uganda Evaluation Association (UEA)

http://ugandaevaluationassociation.org/

https://www.facebook.com/ugandaevaluationassociation/

Health and Wellness

Uganda Medical Association (UMA)

http://www.uma.co.ug/

Uganda Private Medical Practitioners Association (UPMPA)

https://www.facebook.com/UgandaPrivateMedicalPRactitionersAssociationUpmpa/

The Islamic Medical Association of Uganda (IMAU)

http://ima-uganda.org/site/about

Uganda Dental Association

www.ugadent.org

https://www.facebook.com/Uganda-Dental-Association-159019424136061/

Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council

www.umdpc.com

Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Uganda

http://sogc.org/aogu/

Uganda Paediatric Association

http://upauganda.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Uganda-Pediatric-Association-282752001326/

Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU)

http://pcauganda.org/

https://www.facebook.com/PalliativeCareAssociationOfUganda/

https://twitter.com/pcauganda

Uganda National Association Of Community And Occupational Health (UNACOH)

http://unacoh.org/

https://www.facebook.com/Uganda-National-Association-of-Community-and-Occupational-Health-

unacoh-1486215285037426/

The Allied Health Professionals Council (AHPC)

http://www.ahpc.ug/

https://www.facebook.com/Allied-Health-Professionals-Council-AHPC-235205166633537/

National Association Of Social Workers Of Uganda (NASWU)

http://naswu.org/

https://www.facebook.com/National-Association-of-Social-Workers-of-Uganda-Naswu-

300596133286141/

Hospitality and Tourism

Uganda Hotel Owners Associations

www.hotels-uganda.org/en

Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO)

www.auto.or.ug

https://www.facebook.com/Association-of-Uganda-Tour-Operators-209738565730822/?fref=nf

Uganda Safari Guides Association (USAGA)

https://www.facebook.com/UgandaSafariGuidesAssociationUsaga/

Human Resources

The Human Resource Managers' Association Of Uganda (HRMAU)

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/3728531/profile

https://www.facebook.com/HRMAU-276558742480268/

Law

Uganda Law Society www.uls.or.ug

https://www.facebook.com/UgandaLawSociety/

https://twitter.com/ug_lawsociety

Manufacturing

Uganda Manufacturing Association

www.uma.or.ug

https://www.facebook.com/UgandaManufacturersAssociation

https://twitter.com/newsUMA

Marketing, Media and Public Relations

Public Relations Association of Uganda

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/3896084/profile

https://www.facebook.com/prauganda/posts/747473525376153

Uganda Journalists Association (UJA)

https://www.facebook.com/Uganda-Journalists-Association-658580407536255/

Uganda Science Journalists Association (USJA)

https://www.facebook.com/Uganda-Science-Journalists-Association-USJA-200397763340246/

Marketing Society Of Uganda (MSU)

https://msou.wordpress.com/about/

Sales and Marketing Association of Uganda (SAMAU)

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4000114/profile

Mathematics

Uganda Mathematics Society

http://ums.ug/

Procurement and Supply Chain Management

The Institute of Procurement Professionals of Uganda (IPPU)

http://ippu.or.ug/

https://www.facebook.com/www.ippu.or.ug/?fref=nf

Research

RTI International Uganda

www.rti.org

Trade, Export

The Uganda Flowers, Exporters Association

www.ufea.co.ug

Uganda Fish Processors and Exporters Association (UFPEA)

http://www.ufpea.co.ug/

APPROACHING A COMPANY

You can also make direct contact with companies you are interested in. Visit their website and start by

looking for their jobs section, if they have one. It will be indicated as “careers”, “work for us”,

“recruitment” or “jobs”. If there is something you are interested in, apply! Alternatively, contact them

anyway and ask about their recruitment process and whether you can forward your CV.

Company list:

The list below is only a starting point, use your internet search skills to create a list of

companies you are interested in.

Banking Bank of Baroda www.bankofbaroda.ug CfC Stanbic Bank www.standbicbank.co.ug Equity Bank Uganda www.equitiybank.co.ug Standard Chartered www.standartchartered.com

Energy

Aggreko www.aggreko.com Halliburton www.halliburton.com Uganda Electricity Generation Company www.uegcl.com Uganda Electricity Transmission Company www.uetcl.com Umeme http://www.umeme.co.ug/

Engineering

Aurecon www.aurecongroup.com

Financial Services Centum Investment Company Limited www.centum.co.ke Deloitte www.deloitte.com Development Finance Company www.dfcugroup.com EY www.ey.com Jubilee Holdings www.jubileeinsurance.com KPMG www.kpmg.com National Insurance Corporation www.nic.co.ug PwC

Law: ENS Africa https://www.ensafrica.com/law-firm/uganda

Manufacturing British American Tobacco www.bat.com

East African Breweries Ltd. www.eabl.com Uganda Baati Limited (Safintra Roofing & Steel) www.ugandabaati.com

Uganda Clays Ltd., Building Materials, www.ugandaclays.co.ug

Unilever, Food, www.unilever-esa.com

Mining & Quarrying Hima Cement Ltd. (Lafarge) www.lafarge.co.ug

East African Portland Cement Company Limited www.eastafricanportland.com

Oil and Gas Chevron Oil Uganda Ltd www.careers.chevron.com Shell www.shell.com

Schlumberger www.slb.com

Telecommunications Airtel www.africa.airtel.com

MTN www.mtn.co.ug

Google

www.pwc.com/ug

www.google.com

Orange Uganda www.orange.ug

Uganda Telecom www.utl.co.ug

Warid www.waridtel.com

CAREERS SERVICE

Your Careers Service at UCT provides you with a link to the world of work through its extensive network

of employers from a variety of disciplines. Resources and opportunities, you can make use of include:

Search for work on MyCareer

Book a Career Consultation with a Careers Advisor

Attend career expos and events to meet employers

Many employers have operations in Africa. There is even a dedicated Africa Careers Expo.

Go to www.careers.uct.ac.za to access any of these opportunities.

Working in South Africa

If you studied at UCT (or any another South African university) and you want to remain in South Africa,

you will require a work visa. There are 3 types of work visas available to foreign nationals who want to

work in South Africa.

GENERAL WORK VISA

The General Work Visa has very strict requirements. It involves having a firm job offer or contract from

a South African employer and proving that there is no South African who can fill the position. The

General Work Visa is issued in the name of the employer. This ties you to the company for the duration

in which you work in South Africa. If you wish to change your job or employer, you will need to apply for

a new work visa.

INTRA-COMPANY TRANSFER VISA

Foreigners employed abroad by a business that either operates in South Africa or has a subsidiary or

affiliate relationship with a business here may be issued with an Intra-company Transfer Visa if they

need to work in the country.

CRITICAL SKILLS WORK VISA

The Critical Skills Work Visa is a merger of what was previously the Quota Work Visa and the

Exceptional Skills Work Visa. Work visas for this category is issued in accordance with the Critical Skills

List. You can find a link to this list and more information on the Critical Skills Visa on the South African

Home Affairs’ website. Here:

http://www.home-affairs.gov.za:8087/index.php/scarce-skills-work-quotas

Content last updated: October 2016