Twenty-four secondary school students from across Uganda have gained firsthand experience of corporate leadership after spending a day shadowing senior executives at Absa Bank Uganda under a mentorship initiative aimed at preparing young people for the world of work.
The students, drawn from Junior Achievement Uganda’s Company of the Year Programme, were paired with members of Absa Bank Uganda’s executive leadership team, giving them an opportunity to observe decision-making processes, workplace dynamics and leadership practices within one of Uganda’s leading financial institutions.
The initiative forms part of an ongoing partnership between Absa Uganda and Junior Achievement Uganda focused on equipping young people with entrepreneurship, employability and leadership skills.
Organised by the Absa Men of Valour as part of activities marking Father’s Month, the programme seeks to provide young men with practical exposure to mentorship, leadership and professional work environments.
The initiative comes at a time when youth development remains a national priority. According to the 2024 National Population and Housing Census, nearly three-quarters of Uganda’s population is below the age of 30. The census further indicates that 42.6 percent of young people aged between 15 and 24 are neither in employment, education nor training.
Speaking during the engagement, Absa Bank Uganda Executive Director and Chief Finance Officer Michael Segwaya said academic qualifications alone are no longer sufficient to prepare young people for future careers.
“At Absa, we believe preparing young people for the future requires more than academic achievement. It requires exposure, mentorship and opportunities to learn from those already leading in their fields. Through these initiatives, we are investing in the future skills pipeline by helping young people understand how decisions are made, how teams work together and what leadership looks like in practice. We hope this experience inspires them to become the innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders who will help shape Uganda’s future,” Segwaya said.
Unlike conventional educational visits, the students were integrated into various departments across the bank, where they attended meetings, interacted with senior leaders and observed how strategic decisions are made.
Malcom Senyonjo, a student at King’s College Budo and one of the participants, described the experience as both practical and inspiring.
“I have always been curious about what senior leaders actually do beyond the titles. Being able to spend the day with an executive and ask questions directly helped me understand how decisions are made and what leadership looks like in practice. As someone who hopes to start a business one day, the experience was both inspiring and practical,” Senyonjo said.
Absa Bank Uganda Human Capital Director Henry Tumusiime emphasized the shared responsibility of preparing young people for the future.
“The broader perspective is that we are all stakeholders in education and therefore cannot allow institutions of learning to do this job alone. Today’s exposure aims to give these young men a better appreciation of the journey, with the confidence and comfort that comes from seeing where the education marathon they are running can lead them,” Tumusiime said.
The Company of the Year Programme, implemented by Junior Achievement Uganda, equips secondary school students with practical skills in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, leadership and workplace readiness through hands-on business experiences.
Officials said the partnership between Absa Uganda and Junior Achievement Uganda is intended to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the workplace by providing students with mentorship opportunities, industry exposure and future-ready skills.
The 2026 Company of the Year competition is currently open to secondary schools across Uganda and is expected to reach more than 200,000 young people while attracting participation from at least 55 schools nationwide.
The programme will culminate in a national exhibition and finals scheduled for September 2026, where students will showcase innovative business ideas and compete for the opportunity to represent Uganda at regional and international competitions.
