Erasmus + SPARKLE Partnership is pleased to announce that two Country Snapshots have been delivered by Milton Margai Technical University, Freetown Polytechnic (Sierra Leone) and Namulanda Technical Institute and Shoreline Technical Institute (Uganda), the Sub-Saharan Africa Partners of the “SPARKLE” project for electro-technicians. As a capacity-building initiative focused on vocational education and training for electro-technicians in Sierra Leone and Uganda, it was mandated that the Partners from the two countries carry out an analysis to produce two snapshots in the electro-technical field in the respective Countries.
These Country Snapshots have helped in identifying skill deficiencies, the difference between the current skills possessed by the workforce and those required to achieve future economic goals. The snapshots inform strategic workforce planning by pinpointing areas where employees lack essential skills, enabling targeted training and development programmes.
These snapshots have the potentials to create a talent pipeline that delivers profitability, innovation, and competitive advantage by determining talent demand and developing relevant skills.
The analysis to produce the two countries snapshots was carried out using primary and secondary data. More than 60 stakeholders form the electrotechnical field from Uganda and Sierra Leone were actively involved in the collection of information and they have been interviewed using a common model.
Starting with Sierra Leone, it has been determined through the snapshot that Sierra Leone’s electro-technical sector faces triple constraints; these are limited infrastructure, aging grids and critical workforce shortages. These challenges severely hinder progress toward the Electricity Act 2021 and National Renewable Energy Policy targets of 85% electrification act by 2030. The labour market urgently demands competencies in three priority areas:
- Key gaps include expertise in smart grid management, safety compliance and decentralized energy systems maintenance
- workforce readiness is further compromised by rural-urban training disparities
- vocational Institutes use outdated curricula to train electro-technicians, while the universities offer programmes for electrotechnicians that are heavily theory driven
For Uganda, there is a high demand for skilled electricians, particularly for renewable energy technologies like solar photovoltaics and heat pumps, driven by sector growth. The electricity sector requires specialized skills to support modern energy systems, but training institutions often provide outdated curricula misaligned with industry needs.
Although strong science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills are essential, yet less than 20% of students pursue sciences at A-level; thus, limiting the pool of qualified candidates. Practical training in these areas is critical to meet the needs of a tech-heavy energy transition.
Furthermore, the electro-technical sector in Uganda increasingly requires proficiency in information and communication technology (ICT), including big-data analytics and AI, to support automation and smart grid technologies. However, limited access to practical ICT education, especially in rural areas, exacerbates the skills gap.
Considering the dictates of these snapshots, there is need for urgent intervention. We must consider developing training initiatives that address specific skill deficiencies, provide opportunities for employees to develop new skills or enhance existing ones, pair employees with experienced mentors or coaches for guidance and support and encourage knowledge sharing and collaboration among employees to leverage existing expertise.
By addressing skills gaps, Sierra Leone and Uganda can enhance employability, labor productivity, and competitiveness, ultimately driving economic growth and development in the electro-technical field.
For more information on the project and to read the full Country Snapshots, visit the Sparkle Project OER platform: www.sparkledigitalopenspace.eu
