National Planning Authority (NPA) anticipated in the year 2005 the following career fields to be more marketable. It may be necessary for students to first consider them when selecting courses to pursue (See more details under the different career clusters and occupational categories, 1-16):
1. Health and Medical Sciences
2. Biotechnology
3. Agriculture, Forestry and Natural resources
4. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Applications
5. Fisheries and Aquaculture
6. Environment
7. Energy/solar, wind
8. Manufacturing and Process Engineering
Health and Medical Sciences
In Uganda, where the doctor/patient ratio is still low despite the high incidences of diseases, the health and medical science field is considered to be an important component of total human development and should be given priority by students and government.
Uganda still needs a lot of manpower in the areas of control of communicable diseases, early detection and prevention of noncommunicable diseases, telemedicine, production of drugs, development of natural Health or medicinal products, vaccine and antibiotics development for local needs.
Biotechnology
Uganda, being predominantly agriculture country, has great potential for developing biotechnology. Researchers are therefore required in the field of agricultural biotechnology, chemistry and biology. This skills has many areas to apply to, including agriculture itself, forestry, natural resources like the oil industry, marine sciences, fisheries and aquaculture; health/medical sciences, environment, energy and manufacturing. Specifically, biotechnology skills are applicable in:
- Improvement of varieties and sustainable production of food security in agriculture and fisheries;
- Forestry-maintenance and maximization of forestry resources;
- Medical/health sciences-prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases;
- Marine sciences-development of renewable energy sources, e.g., solar and manufacturing of bio-fuel;
- Manufacturing and processing engineering-development of new processes of manufacturing, using life forms as miniature factories 0 produce the desired products.
- The provision of advisory services
- The promotion of research and technology in agriculture production
- Ensuring access to, and availability of financial services
- The promotion of sustainable use of natural resources
- Promoting agriculture as an economic activity, rather than subsistence agriculture and
- The improvement of physical and enabling infrastructures for post production handling and accessibility of product markets by farmers.
Agriculture
There is great potentials for development in the agriculture sector and therefore providing different areas of specialisation by students. The critical ones identified by government are the following:
1. Crops, especially in areas such as hybridisation, production management systems, integrated pest management, post production and primary processing systems, storage and quality improvements, standardization of priority horticulture crops such as fruits, ornamental and medicinal plans, industrial plants, such as palm trees, rubber trees and vegetable;
2. Livestock, genetic and feed improvement for ruminants, product standards for poultry, production systems, animal health programmes, and vaccine/diagnostics development.
Forestry and Natural Resources
Uganda has an abundance of forests and natural resources, some of the woodland are in private hands, as government is encouraging development of forest lands to increase on carbon levels, thereby fighting global Warming and climatic change.
This investment calls for skills for production of quality timbers, making high quality furniture and tree farming as a business. It provides opportunities for experts in forest biotechnology, natural resource development, and management system, and plantation development and management. There are also opportunities for agro-forestry, and natural resource management, bio-diversity conservation, etc.
There are also opportunities for specialization in survey, inventory, design and product development, harvesting and seedling development, utilization and marketing and Policy Development on forestry and natural resources.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
Applications
ICT may basically be seen as critical in enhancing student's opportunity for getting jobs. The primary skills of word-processing, PowerPoint, spreadsheets, excel, surfing and e-mailing are considered globally as basic skills after numeracy, literacy and life skills.
There is great potentials for development in the agriculture sector and therefore providing different areas of specialisation by students. The critical ones identified by government are the following:
1. Crops, especially in areas such as hybridisation, production management systems, integrated pest management, post production and primary processing systems, storage and quality improvements, standardization of priority horticulture crops such as fruits, ornamental and medicinal plans, industrial plants, such as palm trees, rubber trees and vegetable;
2. Livestock, genetic and feed improvement for ruminants, product standards for poultry, production systems, animal health programmes, and vaccine/diagnostics development.
Forestry and Natural Resources
Uganda has an abundance of forests and natural resources, some of the woodland are in private hands, as government is encouraging development of forest lands to increase on carbon levels, thereby fighting global Warming and climatic change.
This investment calls for skills for production of quality timbers, making high quality furniture and tree farming as a business. It provides opportunities for experts in forest biotechnology, natural resource development, and management system, and plantation development and management. There are also opportunities for agro-forestry, and natural resource management, bio-diversity conservation, etc.
There are also opportunities for specialization in survey, inventory, design and product development, harvesting and seedling development, utilization and marketing and Policy Development on forestry and natural resources.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
Applications
ICT may basically be seen as critical in enhancing student's opportunity for getting jobs. The primary skills of word-processing, PowerPoint, spreadsheets, excel, surfing and e-mailing are considered globally as basic skills after numeracy, literacy and life skills.
Marketable areas here are ICT Engineering and its application in specific professions like:
1. Health-Tele-medicine, tele-radiology, virtual patient records, etc.
2. Education-Web-based computer training and education, including teleconferencing.
3. E-governance -Access to facilities and on-line information, front-line services and information sharing/networking and database management
4. Environment-Geographic information systems, global positioning systems, remote sensing and telemetry.
5. Agriculture-Export systems for specific crops, land information and marketing information systems.
6. Industry-E-commerce applications in sales, marketing, procurement, order management, and customer services and support.
7. Finance and Banking Money transfers, e-statement, e-banking, and clients' accounts management systems.
8. Embedded systems design and printing.
Marketable Career Fields in the International Labour
Market in the Medium and Long Term
Several surveys across the globe indicate that there are some career fields that will continue to thrive in the international labour market, despite the economic down-sizing and the predicted continuous increase of rate of unemployment.
1. Health-Tele-medicine, tele-radiology, virtual patient records, etc.
2. Education-Web-based computer training and education, including teleconferencing.
3. E-governance -Access to facilities and on-line information, front-line services and information sharing/networking and database management
4. Environment-Geographic information systems, global positioning systems, remote sensing and telemetry.
5. Agriculture-Export systems for specific crops, land information and marketing information systems.
6. Industry-E-commerce applications in sales, marketing, procurement, order management, and customer services and support.
7. Finance and Banking Money transfers, e-statement, e-banking, and clients' accounts management systems.
8. Embedded systems design and printing.
Marketable Career Fields in the International Labour
Market in the Medium and Long Term
Several surveys across the globe indicate that there are some career fields that will continue to thrive in the international labour market, despite the economic down-sizing and the predicted continuous increase of rate of unemployment.
These are jobs that can
weather even the roughest economic storms and has the fastest growth
rate and largest numerical jobs. They cover a wide range of fields and
provide the much needed services to the international communities as
well as local economies. They include:
Nurses, Nursing Aids, and Olderlies' Attendants
Registered nurses and mid-wives top the health science occupations category. There is indication that this career field will rise 23% and provide 587,000 additional employment opportunities in the US alone, on top of the 116,000 vacancies for registered nurses in hospitals and 100,000 current deficits at nursing homes, Including old person's homes.
Bio-chemists/ Biophysicits/ Energy and Computer Soft Ware Engineers
The Green Revolution will see a rise in the demand for energy engineers as more money is pumped into research on alternative sources of fuels and other solutions to global warming, waste water and air pollution management.
Environmental and Energy engineers will therefore find themselves very valuable in the current and the economies to come. This equally applies to computer soft-ware engineers, as computer literacy becomes a primary skill. The Energy engineer job growth is predicted to rise at 25%.
Accountants and Financial Managers
Accountancy job growth is predicted to rise at 18%. This is largely predicted to the growth in SME and multilateral companies and overseas investments volumes.
Lawyers and Paralegals
The increasing workload of lawyers is putting pressure on the profession to seek the services of paralegal officers. Currently, people seek legal advice/services as a remedy to difficulties, rather than as a preventive service. This has created a rush for legal services for people in distress.
As this is being dealt with, it is prudent that economies employ the services of legal advisers to prevent possible legal battles, at the onset of an undertaking. Projection show a 22% increase in paralegals worldwide in the medium term.
Physician Assistants/Medical Officers
The growth in this career field is projected at 27%. Physician assistants or medical officers as we know them here, handle many medical procedures, including diagnosis, examinations, and taking medical histories of patients. They fill in a great deal in situations where doctors are in short supply.
Skilled Trades and Public Utilities Jobs
Projected growth in employment opportunities is also forecasted for plumbers, electricians and carpenters, worldwide. People will continue to use water, electricity, roads, etc, hence a steady growth in employment in these fields too.
Post-secondary School Teachers, including Counsellors and School Psychologists
Education jobs are especially resilient in the face of an unsteady economy. Children will continue to go to ' school no matter what and adults will want to boost their existing credentials at colleges or universities.
Opportunities for teaching jobs will be more in the primary schools, vocational schools, trade schools, community colleges, universities and for school psychologists and counsellors. This, however, depends on the demands in specific teaching subjects. For instance in Uganda, the demands are for Science and Technical Education teachers.
Cosmetologists
Expected to rise rapidly is the demand for hair dressers, hair stylists and cosmetologists on the human service category. People are increasingly becoming more conscious about their appearances and looks. There are multi-billion cosmetic industries and the demands for body therapy, including plastic surgery (even if it is only boos firming!) are also on the increase.
Profile of Skills Mixes Required by Employers and New Investors in Uganda, the Region and Internationally
As most investors and employers are now faced with competition and increasing high cost of production or service provision as a result of credit crunch and related business challenges, they are constantly demanding for extra skills by potential employees in order to cut on costs of hiring more work force, compete favourably, produce goods and services of high quality and standards and also to maintain a good relation with their clients.
Professional knowledge alone does not suffice anymore. On top of this, employers require employability skills, and these may include;
1. general Life-Skills to overcome and withstand challenges related to work;
2. writing skills, including report writing and office communication skills;
3. reading skills including comprehending instructions and clients' concerns;
4. basic arithmetic;
5. problem-solving skills;
6. decision-making;
7. Dependability and trustworthiness; positive attitude towards work;
8. cooperation; and other effective skills and traits that can make their products or services or goods sell.
Self reliance Skills
· Self-awareness – Purposeful, focused, self-belief, realistic
· Pro-activity – -resourceful, drive, self-reliant
· Willingness to learn -inquisitive, motivated, enthusiastic
· Self-promotion --positive, persistent, ambitious
· Networking --initiator, relationship-builder, resourceful
· Planning --decision-maker, planner, able to prioritise
· People Skills:
· Team working -supportive, organised, coordinator, deliverer
· Interpersonal skill -listener, adviser, co-operative, assertive
· Oral communicator -communicator, presenter, influencer
· Leadership -motivator, energetic, visionary
· Customer orientation
· Foreign language
General skills
· Problem-solving
· Flexibility
· Business acumen
· IT/Computer literacy
· Commitment
Nurses, Nursing Aids, and Olderlies' Attendants
Registered nurses and mid-wives top the health science occupations category. There is indication that this career field will rise 23% and provide 587,000 additional employment opportunities in the US alone, on top of the 116,000 vacancies for registered nurses in hospitals and 100,000 current deficits at nursing homes, Including old person's homes.
Bio-chemists/ Biophysicits/ Energy and Computer Soft Ware Engineers
The Green Revolution will see a rise in the demand for energy engineers as more money is pumped into research on alternative sources of fuels and other solutions to global warming, waste water and air pollution management.
Environmental and Energy engineers will therefore find themselves very valuable in the current and the economies to come. This equally applies to computer soft-ware engineers, as computer literacy becomes a primary skill. The Energy engineer job growth is predicted to rise at 25%.
Accountants and Financial Managers
Accountancy job growth is predicted to rise at 18%. This is largely predicted to the growth in SME and multilateral companies and overseas investments volumes.
Lawyers and Paralegals
The increasing workload of lawyers is putting pressure on the profession to seek the services of paralegal officers. Currently, people seek legal advice/services as a remedy to difficulties, rather than as a preventive service. This has created a rush for legal services for people in distress.
As this is being dealt with, it is prudent that economies employ the services of legal advisers to prevent possible legal battles, at the onset of an undertaking. Projection show a 22% increase in paralegals worldwide in the medium term.
Physician Assistants/Medical Officers
The growth in this career field is projected at 27%. Physician assistants or medical officers as we know them here, handle many medical procedures, including diagnosis, examinations, and taking medical histories of patients. They fill in a great deal in situations where doctors are in short supply.
Skilled Trades and Public Utilities Jobs
Projected growth in employment opportunities is also forecasted for plumbers, electricians and carpenters, worldwide. People will continue to use water, electricity, roads, etc, hence a steady growth in employment in these fields too.
Post-secondary School Teachers, including Counsellors and School Psychologists
Education jobs are especially resilient in the face of an unsteady economy. Children will continue to go to ' school no matter what and adults will want to boost their existing credentials at colleges or universities.
Opportunities for teaching jobs will be more in the primary schools, vocational schools, trade schools, community colleges, universities and for school psychologists and counsellors. This, however, depends on the demands in specific teaching subjects. For instance in Uganda, the demands are for Science and Technical Education teachers.
Cosmetologists
Expected to rise rapidly is the demand for hair dressers, hair stylists and cosmetologists on the human service category. People are increasingly becoming more conscious about their appearances and looks. There are multi-billion cosmetic industries and the demands for body therapy, including plastic surgery (even if it is only boos firming!) are also on the increase.
Profile of Skills Mixes Required by Employers and New Investors in Uganda, the Region and Internationally
As most investors and employers are now faced with competition and increasing high cost of production or service provision as a result of credit crunch and related business challenges, they are constantly demanding for extra skills by potential employees in order to cut on costs of hiring more work force, compete favourably, produce goods and services of high quality and standards and also to maintain a good relation with their clients.
Professional knowledge alone does not suffice anymore. On top of this, employers require employability skills, and these may include;
1. general Life-Skills to overcome and withstand challenges related to work;
2. writing skills, including report writing and office communication skills;
3. reading skills including comprehending instructions and clients' concerns;
4. basic arithmetic;
5. problem-solving skills;
6. decision-making;
7. Dependability and trustworthiness; positive attitude towards work;
8. cooperation; and other effective skills and traits that can make their products or services or goods sell.
Self reliance Skills
· Self-awareness – Purposeful, focused, self-belief, realistic
· Pro-activity – -resourceful, drive, self-reliant
· Willingness to learn -inquisitive, motivated, enthusiastic
· Self-promotion --positive, persistent, ambitious
· Networking --initiator, relationship-builder, resourceful
· Planning --decision-maker, planner, able to prioritise
· People Skills:
· Team working -supportive, organised, coordinator, deliverer
· Interpersonal skill -listener, adviser, co-operative, assertive
· Oral communicator -communicator, presenter, influencer
· Leadership -motivator, energetic, visionary
· Customer orientation
· Foreign language
General skills
· Problem-solving
· Flexibility
· Business acumen
· IT/Computer literacy
· Commitment
Skills Students need for their future
Specialist Skills:
-friendly, caring, diplomatic
-specific language skills, mainly English, Kiswahili, French, etc.
-practical, logical, results oriented
-versatile, willing, multi-skilled risk taker -entrepreneurial, competitive,
-office skills, keyboard skills, software packages,
-dedicated, trustworthy, conscientious
Specific occupational skills -specialist relevant knowledge, e.g., Language and IT
· Technical skills -e.g. journalism, engineering, accounting, sales, machines operation
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