Traineeship
The SEMA traineeship programme converges talented students from different universities in Uganda and Kenya to learn, practice and experience doing research to improve public service delivery in their communities. The traineeship provides for first-hand work experience, while also giving youth an opportunity to contribute directly to SEMA’s mission to improve accountability of public services. Selected trainees take part in a 9-month intensive programme of training and fieldwork, where they can develop their own professional careers within SEMA’s friendly and professional environment. The SEMA traineeship currently only supports Ugandan and Kenyan youth. Our traineeship impact survey identified that the first cohort of SEMA trainees (formerly known as volunteers, 2018-2019) greatly improved their soft skills (communication – 100%, leadership – 90%, critical thinking – 90%, teamwork – 90% and work ethic – 90%) in the course of their time at SEMA. This in turn improved their chance of employment, as 80% of the trainees were employed within the year of their traineeship. 70% of the trainees believed that their chances of getting employed increased a lot after volunteering with SEMA. Finally, 80% of SEMA trainees have recommended university students to apply for the traineeship program.
Training
SEMA’s trainees receive regular soft- and hard skills training that is beneficial to their personal development and any professional career. The programme includes group training, individual assignments, field data collection and mentorship from professional experts in research. At the end of the traineeship, trainees have developed a range of hard research skills, such as interviewing and data-analysis, as well as soft skills such as communication skills, critical thinking, team work, leadership and work ethic. Successful trainees are rewarded with a certificate at the end of the programme to validate their skills for future employment.
Rewarding
SEMA acknowledges the trainees effort to learn and appreciates their hard work by giving them monthly rewards, including announcing the outstanding trainee of the month.This monthly award is based on elements of timeliness, reliability, motivation, data quality and effective communication of the trainees to encourage them in stepping up the game each month in their performance. Outstanding trainees also get an opportunity to take separate learning tracks at the SEMA department of their choice.
Impact Stories
Julius Elepu — Building a Future Through Research and Public Engagement
Julius Elepu’s experience with SEMA has been transformational both personally and academically. As a business studies student, Julius used the traineeship to improve his communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills by regularly engaging with diverse populations during fieldwork. He values the mentorship and consistent feedback from supervisors, which helped him correct mistakes and grow professionally. Financially, the stipend helped him develop a saving culture. Julius also advocates for extending the traineeship duration to deepen skill acquisition and recommends SEMA as a platform that builds future leaders ready to compete in the employment market.
“It has helped me a lot in associating with different people which improved my communication skills. Teamwork is very important; you don’t need to do things alone but let others help you. The regular check-ups and supervision helped me identify areas to improve and strengthened my skills.”
Yatuha Lorine — From Trainee to Professional Statistician at UBOS
Yatuha Lorine’s story is a testament to the traineeship’s power to bridge academic knowledge and real-world application. Currently a statistician at the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), she credits SEMA with giving her invaluable hands-on experience in data collection, analysis, and report writing. The practical exposure during her traineeship, particularly under the research department, enabled her to apply theoretical concepts from university directly to fieldwork and data management tasks. Beyond technical skills, Yatuha improved her leadership and technical skills, allowing her to advance in her career.
“SEMA gave me more skills in data collection, analysis, and presentation as I participated in the training and field activities. Through the different training sessions, I learned, as a statistician, how to collect good data that can be used to make decisions and how best to talk to customers.”
Do you want to develop your career, improve your research skills and contribute to better public services in your community? If you are currently enrolled in a University programme and live in Kampala, Mukono, Gulu, Mbarara, Jinja or Nairobi don’t hesitate to apply to SEMA’s Traineeship Programme. APPLY FOR SEMA’s TRAINEESHIP We select new trainees approximately four times a year, but applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Interested applicants are invited to fill out the form below.