Youth employment clock launched, to create 30 million jobs by 2030

The Africa Youth Employment Clock was recently launched in
Kampala to track job growth and opportunities for young people.

The clock, designed by World Data Lab in partnership with
the Mastercard Foundation, has its major goal as creating 30 million jobs for
the youth by 2030.

Speaking at the launch, Joyce Ssebugwawo, the Minister of State
for ICT, commended the World Data Lab and Mastercard Foundation for developing
this tool.

“The government recognizes youth unemployment as a critical
issue and data-driven solutions are essential for guiding policy in sectors
with potential opportunities for young people,” she said.

She emphasized the government’s openness to data analytics
initiatives that identify skills gaps and align training programs with labor
market needs, ensuring that youth acquire relevant skills.

The developers of the clock believe data-driven insights can
empower the government and other stakeholders to develop solutions for youth
initiatives that foster job creation and economic opportunities.

The employment clock will give young people access to
business intelligence tools, analytics training, and data on promising business
models that could generate jobs in fields like digital services, agriculture,
and renewable energy.

According to the World Data Lab, Uganda’s youth employment
is primarily in agriculture, much of which is informal.

Approximately 36% of employed individuals live in poverty,
based on the international poverty line of $1.90 (purchasing power parity).

Uganda has 11.5 million young workers: 7.2 million (63%) in
agriculture, 1.0 million (9%) in industry, and 3.3 million (28%) in services.