KAMPALA — Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has suspended its 2020 internship and graduate industrial training programmes in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
“Owing to the disruption occasioned by COVID-19, we regret to inform the public that the commission will not be able take on interns this year, the UCC said in a notice dated Saturday May 9.
“A new schedule will be communicated as soon as it is prudent to do so. We regret any inconveniences caused,” the Commission added.
A number of companies across the country, including National Social Security Fund (NSSF) have canceled their internship programs due to COVID-19.
The cancellations, which will likely increase in the days and weeks to come, are unsurprising, due to the uncertainty the pandemic has caused.
That decision — and broader hiring freezes — will depend on the status of the government’s efforts to stop the COVID-19 outbreak over the coming months.
Internships provide experience that students can use for networking and a potential job after graduation.
It’s also a way that some companies increase their pipeline into more diverse communities.
If companies cancel internships broadly, it could have a significant effect on hiring down the road.
