KAMPALA, UGANDA: Victoria University has unveiled singer Sheebah Karungi as the 2023 Career Ambassador as it launched the new Career Readiness and Employability program, a first of its kind on the African Continent.
The Vice-Chancellor, Dr Lawrence Muganga while unveiling the singer on Wednesday described her as the true epitome of perseverance and hard work and her success story is a testament to every young person’s potential.
“Sheebah is the true epitome of perseverance and hard work. Her success story is a testament to every young person’s potential, and we are proud to have her as our 2023 Career Ambassador,” Dr Muganga said before a fully-filed university auditorium on the afternoon.
“As the VU Career Ambassador, Sheebah will exceptionally be our voice in explaining the value of this Programme to students, employers, parents, and graduates. She epitomizes what we believe in,” he added.
Muganga explained that VU chose to work with Sheebah as she is a big dream who has excelled in life amidst several storms which should inspire current students to also dream big, and she will be a living example for them.
“She dreamt big to excel amidst several storms in her life; we teach, believe, and support all our students to dream big, and she will be a living example for them. She was born and raised by a single mother in Kawempe, a Division, and suburb of Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, and despite dropping out of school in senior two, she started dancing for money at 15 and developed a successful solo career in music,” expressed Muganga amid ululations from the crowd that attended the launch.
Sheebah in her own words shared a brief story of her long a tough-journey from childhood being raised by a single but very committed mother.
”You’ve all heard about my story. How my mummy couldn’t even manage to buy a single sacket of salt for our home. But guess what today am building for her a swanky home in Mityana and why am I telling you this, never give up, focus higher and work hard you will make it,” Sheebah passed a message of hope to the students.
She vowed and promised to use her name, following and networks to make Victoria University a brand that everyone will yearn to join.
“I can’t thank enough Victoria University for introducing this wonderful Career Readiness & Employability Program, you people don’t know tears outside there, tears of a first-class graduate hustling for a job but without skill, tears of a parent who used all she had to teach her child but after graduation has to cough another money to start a business for that same child.”
“I mean … I didn’t finish school, and all the English I speak I taught myself but if CREP was a person it would be me. I know what I have passed through teaching myself all the skills to be who I am. That’s why you must thank Victoria University management for bringing this new program to help you get those skills.”
Through the new Career Readiness and Employability Programme, the University aims to nurture students to enter the workforce with knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to a particular career path. This will include a range of factors such as education, work experience, and vocational training.
“Our motivation is to give our learners what they want — relevant complex experiences that prepare them for the challenging future. Our authentic learning education model focuses on experiential and work-integrated learning, where our students can learn by doing real-job placements that last throughout one’s study period,” he added.
Additionally, Victoria University also unveiled a new education turn-around model, the VU Block Model, the first of its in Africa, a new learning method ready to change higher education teaching on the continent; and an overseas placement programme for university graduates.
According to the University management, the new Block Model Model System of Teaching works in a way that a student pursues one Module per month, instead of six modules at a go, in one semester.
This enables students to have greater focus, learn one thing at a time, and have no interruptions.
Students under this model also study in smaller, more collaborative lectures and attend class two per week meaning they will still focus on other essential life activities.
At Victoria University, unlike other universities in the country, a student’s academic year is divided into three Semesters (Trimesters) with each divided into four blocks, which will run for four months, and each Block runs for Four Weeks. This means a student will focus on learning one Module in each block and complete all the assessments before moving on to the next Module.
“The Block Model offers students flexible study options, one teacher per Module support, and practical hands-on teaching that prepares them for their unpredictable future. With the introduction of the VU Block Model, students’ success is soaring, with a pass rate of over 97% for undergraduate students and more than 70% receiving grades at distinction level or above,” says the management.
The CR&E programme launch featured industry-leading panellists including the Chief Executive at Stanbic Business Incubator, Mr Tony Otoa; Mr Ninshant Mamtora, the recruitment director at CWG; Mr Jorg Schafer, the CEO of AWL Germany; and AIG Godfrey Kiwanuka, the head of human resources in Uganda Police.
Other Keynote speakers included Mr Simon Kasyate, the deputy director of Public and Corporate Affairs at KCCA, the CEO of Jada Coffee, Ms Jackie Arinda; Ms Harriet Musoke, a human capital expert; Ms Gloria Nabaasa, a nutrition and public health consultant, and Frank Gashumba, an entrepreneur, among others.
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