Huawei calls on Makerere graduates to build careers beyond the degree

Huawei calls on Makerere graduates to build careers beyond the degree

August 8, 2026NEWS

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Huawei Technologies Uganda has urged university students and recent graduates to prepare for a competitive technology job market by developing practical skills, confidence and the ability to continuously learn beyond their academic qualifications

The call was made on Friday, August 7, during Huawei’s campus recruitment exercise at the Main Building of Makerere University, where more than 200 students attended the engagement aimed at connecting young talent with career opportunities in the technology sector

Held under the theme “The Sky Is the Limit” and the slogan “A Better U for a Better Uganda,” the recruitment programme seeks to help final-year students and recent graduates transition from academic life into careers in technology and other professional fields

Dr. Donna Namujju, Programme Lead at the CEDAT Career Employability Hub and lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Makerere University’s College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), challenged students to recognise that a university degree is increasingly only the starting point for a successful career

“Get ready. Be prepared. A degree alone may not be enough. We are preparing you to go out and improve the foundation,” Namujju told the students

She encouraged students to take advantage of career and industry engagement opportunities that expose them to the expectations of the workplace while they are still at university. She said academic knowledge provides an important foundation, but graduates must also be prepared to demonstrate practical competence, adaptability and a willingness to continue learning as industries change

Namujju’s message reflects the growing need for universities and industry to work more closely together as Uganda expands its digital economy and employers increasingly seek graduates who can apply their knowledge to real-world challenges

The Huawei recruitment programme targets students and graduates from a range of disciplines, including electrical and telecommunications engineering, cybersecurity, software development, computer science, finance, logistics, industrial engineering, human re

Maurice Magembe, a manager at Huawei Technologies Uganda told the students that career opportunities in the technology industry remain within their reach if they are prepared to take advantage of them

“It is possible you can make it. Make sure you are ready and take the opportunity,” Magembe said

He said Huawei is working to transform how organisations and different sectors operate by deploying technologies that improve efficiency and create seamless digital experiences

“We have devices, laptops, smartphones, television sets, delivering a seamless life experience thriving with digital. I do hope you have the zeal to join Huawei on the technology development journey,” he said

Magembe pointed to the rapid pace of technological change, citing driverless cars as an example of innovations that were once considered unrealistic but are increasingly becoming a reality

He said he experienced driverless vehicle technology in China earlier this year, describing the experience as something that once appeared to be a myth

“It appeared as a myth, but it works,” he said, explaining that the vehicle could detect lanes and traffic lights and even provide functions such as back massage when it detected that passengers needed it

According to Magembe, Huawei is investing heavily in technology development, including its own servers, smart home devices, cloud services and power solutions aimed at reducing carbon emissions

“Nothing can stop Huawei on this journey,” he said, adding that the company is also developing technologies that can be operated remotely to provide solutions for homes, businesses and institutions

He said data security has become increasingly important as companies and governments seek secure private services, while Huawei continues to expand its portfolio of digital solutions

Magembe said the company’s approach involves visiting organisations, studying how they operate and proposing technology solutions that can improve their operations and delivery of services

He joined Huawei 18 years ago as a wireless engineer, giving him extensive experience in the evolution of the technology sector and the company’s operations

Shamillah Nantume, the senior human reurrently employs about 250 people in Uganda but is looking to increase its workforce by recruiting more young professionals

“Huawei is in Uganda for Uganda, and we want to grow with Uganda,” Nantumbwe said

She said Huawei has continued to invest in developing local ICT talent through initiatives such as the Huawei ICT Competition and other programmes designed to expose students to opportunities within and outside Uganda, particularly in China

Nantumbwe said successful recruits receive intensive training, including opportunities in South

Africa and China, to prepare fresh graduates to make meaningful contributions to the company after joining

The company is seeking talent for positions including telecommunications engineering, computer engineering and software engineering, among other areas

Nantumbwe said Huawei also provides mentorship for new employees, while assessing candidates on skills such as confidence, communication, logical thinking and personal presentation

“We are looking for confidence, communication skills, logic and personal presentation. Those are very key skills that we are looking for as we recruit you in Huawei,” she said

She also challenged students to demonstrate their ability to learn and build on the foundation provided by the university

Makerere University alumnus Paul Brema Walyaula, now a Wireless Engineer D&S at Huawei Technologies Uganda, shared his career journey with students, recounting how he navigated online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic before securing a position at Huawei and later attending specialised training at the company’s global headquarters in China

Walyaula spoke about the challenges involved in delivering technology projects across different regions and sought to dispel common misconceptions about careers in the technology industry

“Your success is based on merit, academic performance and how you present yourself, not who you know,” Walyaula told the students

Beyond recruitment, Huawei has over the years invested in ICT skills development in Uganda

The company says about 7,000 students have been trained in ICT through its various programmes, while it has recorded 420 internship opportunities in recent years

The company’s campus recruitment programme is part of a wider effort to bridge the gap between academia and industry as Uganda accelerates its digital transformation agenda

Over the past 25 years, Huawei says it has supported skills development through initiatives including the Huawei ICT Competition, Huawei ICT Academy, Seeds for the Future, the National ICT Job Fair and the Huawei Campus Recruitment Programme

The recruitment exercise comes at a time when Uganda is seeking to expand its digital economy and increase the contribution of technology to productivity, employment and national development

For the students who attended the Makerere engagement, the focus was not only on securing employment but also on understanding what employers expect from graduates entering an increasingly technology-driven economy

Many students expressed interest in joining Huawei and using the opportunity to develop their careers in technology, reflecting growing demand among young Ugandans

HuaweiMakerere University2026-08-08

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Source: www.independent.co.ug