Factors Affecting Employability among TVET Graduates in Water, Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering: A National Diploma Tracer Study in Uganda (2016–2019)

This study investigates the key factors influencing employability among graduates of Uganda’s National Diploma programs in Water, Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering from 2016 to 2019. As the main certifying body for Uganda’s technical workforce, the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB) has graduated over 69,000 engineers. However, the transition of these diploma holders into meaningful employment remains uneven and insufficiently examined. Using a mixed-methods tracer study involving 249 graduates and 39 employers, the research explores critical determinants of employment outcomes and exposes systemic limitations within Uganda’s Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) landscape. The findings show that 63% of graduates secured employment within one year. Key predictors of employability included the perceived quality of teaching (β=0.371, p=0.028), entrepreneurial skills (β=0.126, p=0.044), and attainment of first-class diplomas (β=0.087, p=0.000). Conversely, participation in monitored internships was associated with lower employability (β=–0.128, p=0.000), indicating possible shortcomings in their implementation. While 90% of employers reported satisfaction with graduates’ practical competencies, significant gaps were identified in digital literacy and adaptive problem-solving deficiencies, partly attributed to training content that has not kept pace with technological and industry changes. Three structural barriers emerged as significant constraints on graduate employability: a heavy emphasis on classroom-based instruction, with only 28% of graduates reporting meaningful industrial mentorship; limited exposure to cross-cutting skills such as CAD and IoT applications; and dependence on informal hiring networks, which disproportionately exclude 38% of graduates lacking personal connections. These constraints contribute to Uganda’s ongoing skills paradox, in which persistent technician shortages coexist with a 37% rate of graduate underemployment. The study offers evidence to support realignment of TVET systems with evolving labour market demands. It highlights the importance of regular curriculum updates, stronger integration of entrepreneurship and digital skills, and the restructuring of industrial training models. These insights may inform national efforts to enhance workforce preparedness in line with Uganda’s Vision 2040.