Labour Market Assessments for the Market driven skills requirement in Omoro, Nwoya and Amuru Districts including deliberate inclusion of skills required for the WASH Market in Northern Uganda

This Labour Market Assessment report focuses on the market-driven skills requirements in Omoro, Nwoya, and Amuru Districts in Northern Uganda. The assessment aims to identify sectors with high employment potential for marginalized and deprived youths, including those with disabilities, and to profile the skills needed in these sectors.  

The study is based on an extensive review of literature, policies, situation reports, and field data collection. It highlights the significant challenges faced by the youth in these districts, including high unemployment rates, low levels of education and skills, and socio-economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The assessment identifies agriculture as the sector with the highest potential for employment and livelihood, emphasizing the need for vocational and business training to engage youth in agri-business and WASH-related income-generating activities.

Key findings include the mismatch between available skills and job market demands, the need for innovative labour market interventions using social business models, and the importance of building synergies with other actors to improve the livelihood of youth. The report recommends developing business start-up and accelerator programs, promoting smart agriculture, and supporting trades such as tailoring, repair mechanics, catering, and bricklaying.

The assessment concludes that agriculture presents the best market opportunity for medium to long-term employment and livelihood, with a need to popularize and catalyze youth involvement in agriculture as a business. It also underscores the importance of integrating vocational training with business development and financial literacy to create more job creators than job seekers.