Coffee Skills: 120 Ugandan youths interviewed for high paying baristas jobs in Saudi Arabia

More than 120 young Ugandan baristas on Wednesday, 13^th May, 2026, turned up for interviews for coffee service jobs in Saudi Arabia in a growing trend that is positioning Uganda’s hospitality skills sector as a gateway to international employment opportunities.

The interviews were conducted by EzvisaKampala, a Kampala-based labour recruitment company that is partnering with Barista Coffee School and Cafe to identify, train and connect skilled Ugandan baristas to overseas employers, particularly in the Gulf region.

Successful candidates will be employed by The Coffee Address, a Saudi Arabia company that specializes in a serving a variety of coffee, specialty coffee and hot and cold beverages.

The youthful candidates, most of them graduates of Barista Coffee School and Cafe, underwent assessments aimed at selecting workers for coffee shops and hospitality establishments in Saudi Arabia, where demand for professionally trained baristas continues to rise alongside the region’s expanding café culture.

Successful candidates are expected to earn a monthly salary of about Shs1.8 million, in addition to benefits such as accommodation, meals, transport and a weekly day off, an employment package many participants described as life-changing amid Uganda’s high youth unemployment levels.

According to recruitment officials, applicants were required to present basic professional documents including curriculum vitae, a passport copy and a full-size photograph.

Speaking during the exercise, Emmanuel Mugisha, the Chief Executive Officer of Barista Coffee School and Café, said the initiative reflects the growing value of specialized hospitality skills in both local and international labour markets.

“We are not only training young people how to make coffee, but also preparing them for professional careers in the global hospitality industry,” Mugisha said. “Many international employers are looking for disciplined, skilled and customer-oriented workers, and Ugandan youth have shown they can compete effectively when given the right training and mentorship.”

Mugisha explained that the school has increasingly focused on practical industry-oriented training, including espresso preparation, latte art, customer service, café operations and workplace discipline to meet international hospitality standards.

He added that partnerships with labour recruitment agencies are helping bridge the gap between skills acquisition and actual employment opportunities.

“For many years, young people have struggled with unemployment despite having academic qualifications. What we are doing is creating direct pathways from training to employment. Once trainees complete the program and demonstrate competence, we connect them to recruitment companies that can place them abroad,” he said.

The development highlights the growing export potential of Uganda’s hospitality workforce at a time when global demand for trained coffee professionals continues to increase.

Uganda, Africa’s second-largest coffee exporter, has in recent years seen increased investment in coffee education, café culture and value addition, creating new employment opportunities for youth beyond traditional farming and export trade.

Industry observers say professional barista training is increasingly becoming an important segment within Uganda’s broader coffee value chain, especially as international coffee brands and cafés seek skilled workers familiar with specialty coffee preparation and customer experience standards.

For many of the young applicants interviewed in Kololo, the Saudi recruitment exercise represented more than just a job opportunity, but also a chance to improve their livelihoods, gain international work experience and support their families through overseas employment.