Potentiam Youth Center core course students attend an all day youth symposium organized by Uganda Youth Forum (UYF) and powered by Barclays Bank on Saturday November 2nd at the Uganda Museum Hall.

The theme of the symposium was to develop and support 5 million young futures in a 5 year time frame. Potentially, this would be achieved through providing training, mentorship and inspiring young people to unlock their potential and create jobs instead of looking out for jobs.

The Barclays Bank employee team facilitated the event as they engaged youth in various sessions on unlocking the mindset /attitude and nurture employability skills in which participants discussed the importance of having a resourceful mindset as it determines performance and results at work, how to prepare and write Cvs, how to impress and excel during interviews and what employability skills employers will consider during the recruitment process, getting the job and keeping it, etc

Facilitators of the event interactively discussed with the youth highlighting, work place ethics, expectations of employers from employees and how to nurture a resourceful mindset based to time management, financial literacy, innovation, managing start up businesses.

Some of the Speakers included James dokoria of Uganda industrial research institute (MTIC), Michael segwaya , finance director Barclays bank as well as various organizations and stakeholders like Global Health corps and Red cross MTIC.

During the event a bazaar/ fair was conducted offering a number of services including health services like blood donation, HIV testing, family planning and different concepts of industrialization for value addition on agricultural products. Students were also given free guide books on how to excel during interviews, mastering money matters , starting up and managing a business.

The symposium was closed by Barclays Bank Uganda’s Managing Director, who challenged youth to venture in areas where there are fewer risks. He singled out agriculture as being an important portal for Ugandans aspiring to achieve financial freedom and stressed Barclays Banks commitment to supporting entrepreneurs in Uganda.