Why you should enrol your children in apprenticeship programs

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Children do not have to wait to go to university to acquire skills. By enrolling in apprenticeship programs, they can learn an art, trade, or job while still in school. In some workplaces, apprentices are paid.

Morris Odoch Odrua, an engineer for bridges and structures at Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), testifies. After his primary school, he spent 14 years studying different levels of engineering on the job, within and outside Uganda.

That experience shaped him into an outstanding engineer who has worked on big projects. For example, he was the resident project engineer for the construction of the New Nile Bridge in Jinja, Isimba and Karuma public bridges, plus the Kampala flyover.

“My parents realized my passion for engineering when I was a child, and they supported me,” he says.

Girls can learn hairdressing skills. (Credit: Ritah Mukasa)

Odoch underwent vigorous practical and managerial training. He started working on sites as unskilled personnel while pursuing a junior technical certificate. He was later absorbed as a skilled personnel. He grew through the ranks in civil and building engineering practice, serving as a team gang leader, trade foreman, general foreman, clerk of works, project engineer, and contract manager in different organizations before joining UNRA.

Currently, Odoch has completed a doctorate (PhD) in construction management, but he also holds three master's degrees.

In Uganda, Odoch says, many educated people fail to achieve their aspirations because they lack career guidance at an early stage. To him, if a parent takes time to observe how their child plays and behaves with others, they can easily determine the career path that best suits that child. Immediately, support should be given to them, including enrolling them in an apprenticeship programme.

“In developed countries, apprenticeship during holidays is prioritized because it helps to define career paths for children,” Odoch says.

Teenagers can learn motor vehicle mechanic skills on job. (Credit: Ritah Mukasa)

Most importantly, under this arrangement, the child will work under a mentor who instils discipline, responsibility, and a strong work ethic. Add to that boosting their self-esteem and independence, plus time management.

Relatedly, apprenticeships introduce children to research in line with the new curriculum, which is competency-based. Dickson Tumuramye, a parenting coach, says children are able to put what they learn in class into real perspective.

“Give them a chance to choose the skill they want, but if you find it’s not feasible, talk to them about what you feel is best for them,” Tumuramye says.

He emphasizes the importance of early exposure to apprenticeships, saying, that if a child wants to be a mechanic and you take them to a garage, they can’t remain the same because they gain knowledge, exposure, and practical skills.