Alberiki Nuwebwesigye, an alumnus of Nyamitanga Technical Institute looks back at his journey with gratitude. From a determined student to an accomplished entrepreneur and instructor, he is a living testament to the power of vocational training.
On learning that Nyamitanga Technical Institute was the best institution in western Uganda for hands-on skills training, he joined in 2010 to pursue an Advanced Certificate, Part III, in Electrical Installation.
‘When I joined, I performed very well. That performance encouraged me to continue to higher levels of education,’ he adds with pride.
Lighting up villages and a career Upon completing his Advanced Certificate, Nuwebwesigye quickly found employment with Uganda Rural Electrification, working on a major power line project from Nyarukurungu, Ibanda to Kazo, extending to Rukiri subcounty.
‘The knowledge I gained from Nyamitanga made me confident and capable. I was a foreman on the job.’ After eight months on the job, he enrolled at Uganda Technical College, Bushenyi, to pursue a Diploma in Electrical Engineering.
‘Our instructors constantly reminded us that we were being trained to create rather than seek for jobs,’ he recalls. Those words would later become his guiding philosophy.
Becoming his own boss
After completing his diploma in 2014, Nuwebwesigye set out to start his own company.
‘It was not easy and in the start, contracts were hard to come by. But thanks to the connections I had built from my earlier training, I began to get small jobs that slowly grew into bigger opportunities.’
His big break came when he won a contract with the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) to carry out electrical work on an administration block in Bushenyi District.
‘That contract changed everything,’ he says. ‘I registered my company with URSB, opened a bank account with Stanbic Bank, and began supplying materials as well as offering electrical installation services.’
Since then, Nuwebwesigye’s business has flourished getting over 50 major projects, not counting the many smaller domestic installations. From single-phase to three-phase power installations, he has done it.
Creating jobs and changing lives
Today, he runs two work camps, one with 16 employees for big contracts and another with four mobile workers, who also help when more manpower is needed.
‘It gives me great satisfaction to know that I’m not only earning a living, but also creating opportunities for others.’
His success has also translated into personal milestones.
‘From my earnings, I’ve built a permanent home in Kakoba, Mbarara,’ he shares with a grin. ‘I’m married and blessed with five children, twins included! Life has changed for the better.’
Giving back as an instructor
Beyond business, Nuwebwesigye’s passion for teaching has brought him full circle. In 2014, his former principal at Uganda Technical College, Mr Silver Mukwasibwe, invited him to return as a junior lecturer.
Later, the college recommended him to study at Kyambogo University for an Instructor Training Course. ‘After completing my studies, I went for school practice at Nyamitanga Technical Institute,’ he says with a nostalgic smile.
‘Since I was an old boy, the Principal, Mr Vincent Sande saw that I taught from real-world experience hence retaining me.’
During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, he was officially interviewed and appointed to the government payroll as an instructor at Nyamitanga Technical Institute, the very place where his journey began.
Nuwebwesigye’s ambitions continue to grow.
‘In the next two years, I hope to own a self-loader vehicle to expand into power line construction,’ he says.
‘With a Class B permit, I can now handle higher-capacity installations and industrial projects.’ His skill has even opened international doors.
‘I travelled to France for training in machine maintenance,’ he says. ‘That exposure gave me new confidence to work on factory machinery and industrial systems.’
He now dreams of establishing a fully-fledged office in Mbarara City, moving from his modest base in Ruti, Mbarara to a more prominent location.
‘I want people to easily find my company and know that real skill came from Nyamitanga,’ he adds.