UBOS equips 125 university students with workplace skills

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has urged young professionals to translate academic knowledge into practical solutions as they enter an increasingly competitive labour market.

The call was made by UBOS Executive Director, Dr. Chris N. Mukiza, while bidding farewell to 125 interns who successfully completed a two-month internship programme at the Bureau.

The programme gave the interns an opportunity to complement theoretical knowledge acquired at their respective universities with practical experience in a professional work environment, exposing them to the importance and application of official statistics in Uganda’s development.

Dr. Mukiza challenged the young professionals to remain curious, adaptable and committed to continuous learning, noting that education only becomes valuable when it is applied to address real-life challenges.

“Learn new skills because life is very competitive,” Dr. Mukiza advised the interns, urging them to continuously improve their capabilities and remain prepared to respond to changing demands in the labour market.

He also emphasised discipline, hard work, integrity and a positive attitude as key attributes for professional growth, encouraging the interns to carry the lessons and experience gained at UBOS into their future careers and further studies.

The interns were drawn from several institutions of higher learning, including Makerere University, Makerere University Business School, Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi, Islamic University in Uganda, Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Ndejje University, among others.

Dr. Mukiza commended the interns for their conduct during the programme, saying the Bureau had not received negative reports about their behaviour.

He further disclosed that UBOS would retain the interns’ details in its database for possible future engagement, while encouraging them to act as ambassadors of the institution in their universities, communities and future workplaces.

The internship programme, he said, should not be viewed merely as a requirement for completing university studies but as an opportunity to develop professional networks, acquire practical skills and understand workplace expectations.

Speaking on behalf of the interns, Reagan Opio thanked UBOS management and staff for providing them with an opportunity to gain practical workplace experience.

Opio said the programme had helped the interns bridge the gap between classroom learning and practical application while strengthening their professional skills, confidence and appreciation of the role of official statistics in national development.

The interns also commended their supervisors and mentors for the guidance, support and knowledge shared with them throughout the two-month programme.

The farewell ceremony, held on Friday last week, marked the end of the interns’ formal attachment to UBOS but also signalled their transition into the labour market.

The Bureau encouraged the graduates to share the knowledge and experiences gained with fellow university students to help them better understand professional values, workplace expectations and the practical application of academic knowledge.

UBOS continues to implement internship and graduate trainee programmes as part of its efforts to provide young professionals with the skills, experience and exposure required to compete effectively in the labour market.

For the interns, the two-month experience has provided more than workplace exposure.

It has offered an early opportunity to understand how knowledge, particularly in statistics and related disciplines, can be transformed into information that supports planning, policymaking and Uganda’s wider economic development.