From Jobless Graduates to Global Hospitality Careers: How Karama School Is Turning Skills Into Opportunity

By Our Reporter | AUG 30, 2026

KAMPALA, Uganda [SHIFTMEDIA] — For thousands of young Ugandans, graduation day is supposed to be the beginning of a promising career. Instead, for many, it marks the beginning of a frustrating journey of sending out CVs, attending interviews and waiting endlessly for the elusive phone call offering a job.

The numbers tell a sobering story.

Recent statistics indicate that between 13.3% and 16.1% of Ugandans aged 18 to 30 are unemployed, with young women bearing a heavier burden. Female youth unemployment stands at about 18.7%, compared with 13.4% among their male counterparts.

Even more worrying, close to 42% of young Ugandans are neither employed nor in education or training, while about 90% of working youth are engaged in informal, low-paying or unstable employment.

For young people looking for a different route into the world of work, however, the answer may not always be another academic certificate.

Sometimes, it is a skill.

 

And this is where Karama School of Hospitality comes in.

Located in Ntinda, Kampala, the institution is positioning itself as a practical skills hub for young people seeking careers in one of the world’s fastest-moving industries — hospitality, tourism, travel, food and beverage.

At the heart of the initiative is Kavuma Mwanje Josiah, who believes that Uganda’s unemployment challenge cannot be solved by producing graduates alone.

“We realised that many young people need practical, marketable skills that can take them directly into the workplace,” Mwanje says.

“At Karama School of Hospitality, our students Learn, Serve and Inspire others.”

One School, Multiple Career Paths

Unlike training models that focus heavily on classroom theory, Karama puts emphasis on practical learning, industry exposure, character development and preparing students for the realities of the workplace.

The school brings together Tourism and Travel, Hotel Operations, Barista Training, Culinary Arts, and Food and Beverage under one roof.

For someone passionate about travel, the Tourism and Travel programme offers an opportunity to learn the business behind memorable journeys.

“Our students explore the world of travel and tourism. We give them skills in planning, guiding and delivering unforgettable experiences,” Mwanje explains.

 

Those interested in hotels are introduced to the professional standards required to manage guests, housekeeping operations and front-office services.

It is a field where professionalism, communication and attention to detail can make the difference between an ordinary guest experience and one that keeps customers coming back.

From Coffee Bean to Perfect Cup

Then there is coffee.

Karama’s Barista Training programme goes beyond teaching students how to make a cup of coffee.

The school is connected to a coffee enterprise that produces and exports Karama Coffee, giving trainees an opportunity to understand coffee from the crop to the cup.

“Our Barista Training students get hands-on experience in coffee brewing, latte art and café management. They learn about excellence from crop to cup,” Mwanje says.

For young people seeking opportunities in Uganda’s growing café, hotel and tourism sectors, barista skills can offer a practical entry point into employment and entrepreneurship.

Where Cooking becomes a Career

In the Culinary School, students are introduced to the art and discipline of professional cooking.

But the training is not simply about preparing food.

It is about creativity, confidence, presentation, hygiene, consistency and the ability to perform under pressure — qualities required in professional kitchens.

 

The Food and Beverage programme similarly exposes learners to food service, bar operations and beverage management.

The goal is to produce graduates who can walk into a professional hospitality environment and understand what is expected of them.

Training That Goes Beyond the Classroom

Perhaps one of Karama’s strongest selling points is its emphasis on industrial exposure and employment linkages.

According to Mwanje, students are exposed to renowned industry experts, practical hands-on training, internship opportunities, character building and leadership mentoring.

The school also seeks to connect high-performing students to opportunities within Uganda, across the region and, where possible, to international hospitality opportunities.

But Mwanje is careful not to make promises that cannot be guaranteed.

“After training, which can last 30, 90 or 180 days, we help connect our best-performing students to job placements in the region and beyond,” he says.

“It is not a job guarantee. We place the best-performing students.”

That distinction, he says, is important because the ultimate objective is not simply to hand students certificates, but to prepare them to compete in the real world.

A different Answer To Unemployment

For Uganda’s young population, the hospitality industry offers a broad range of potential career pathways — from hotels and restaurants to cafés, airlines, tour companies, cruise operations and events.

It can also provide a springboard into entrepreneurship.

A trained chef can start a catering business. A skilled barista can work in or establish a café. A trained tour professional can pursue opportunities in travel and tourism. A food and beverage specialist can build a career in hotels, restaurants and events.

This is the philosophy behind Karama School of Hospitality.

Mwanje believes young Ugandans should not be conditioned to see employment only through the traditional office-job lens.

“Skills can open doors,” he says.

And for a generation confronting an increasingly competitive job market, that message may be more important than ever.

At Karama, the ambition is simple: train the hands, sharpen the mind, build the character and connect talent to opportunity.

For young people who are tired of waiting for jobs to come to them, hospitality could offer another path — one where a practical skill becomes the first step towards a career, a business and, ultimately, greater independence.

For further details regarding registration and enrollment call +256703779917.. Watsup +256782664211