UNIDO ITPO Tokyo, in cooperation with the Government of Japan, has launched the “Industrial Vocational Training Programme in Africa through Technology Transfer from Japan”.  The programme aims to contribute to inclusive and sustainable industrial development by strengthening the capacity of local engineers and technicians in Africa by deepening their knowledge and skills of technologies possessed by Japanese companies. For more information, please check the official programme page.

On June 14th, a closing ceremony was held at the conclusion of the Industrial Vocational Training in Uganda as part of the STePP Industrial Vocational Training Programme in Africa.

In Phase 1 of the programme, trainees who were instructors in charge of automobile repair and maintenance at Nakawa Vocational Training College in Uganda came to Japan in November 2023 to learn automotive recycling and dismantling techniques including End of Life Vehicle Recycling Technology from Kaiho Industry Co., Ltd. in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture.

In Phase 2, after the two trainees returned to Uganda, they served as local instructors to provide technical training to 100 local industrial personnel and trainees at Nakawa Vocational Training College.

Phase 2: Industrial Vocational Training Programme

The 2 trainees who came to Japan in Phase 1, Mr. Aretor Zerubabel and Mr. Sebanakitta Wilson Kaaya oversaw the training programmes organized over 2 workshops that lasted 2 weeks each. The trainees were divided into groups of 25 people, as they learned about environmentally friendly end-of-life vehicle recycling technology while actually dismantling a vehicle.

 

【Goals of the Training】

• Provide solutions to address ELV (end-of-life) vehicle waste disposal and management
• Enhance end-of-life vehicle waste disposal and management through skill development, technology transfer, and cost-effective methods utilizing Japanese technology and know-how
• Raise awareness of the environmental hazards posed by improper disposal of end-of-life vehicle parts and products

【Techniques acquired in the Training】

• Distinguish various end-of-life vehicle parts for both recycling and reuse
• Drain all fluids from end-of-life vehicles, including engine oil, transmission oil, steering oil, coolant, brake fluid, fuel, etc.
• Collect gas
• Drain and store various vehicle fluids
• Recycle drained liquids
• Disassemble and classify ELV parts
• Evaluate materials and sizes of classified ELV components

※All of the above was done using 9 End-of-Life Vehicles procured from various owners of the general public.

【Schedule】

Day 1	・Tools and safety, Vehicle drain. ・Airbag deployment / Interior removal / Plastic sorting
Day 2	・Exterior removal, and Vehicle dismantling
Day 3	・Engine dismantling, Transmission dismantling and removal of the remaining parts in the engine room
Day 4-5	・ELV’s Dismantling Practice
Day 6-10	・The content from Day 1 to 5 was conducted on another ELV

Phase 2: Closing Ceremony of the Industrial Vocational Training in Uganda

 

After the completion of the training, a closing ceremony was held, with certificates given to the 100 participating trainees

In addition to the 100 trainees who participated in the training, the closing ceremony was attended by officials from Nakawa Vocational Training College, Japanese government, and the Uganda Ministry of Works and Transport. In his speech, Mr. Muwanga, Principal of Nakawa Vocational Training College, addressed the problems posed by vehicle disposal in Uganda and expressed his hope that the importance of environmentally friendly end-of-life vehicle recycling will be promoted and supported as an industry that will lead to employment. He also hoped for the establishment of sustainable guidelines and comprehensive policies for vehicle disposal.

Participants and Guests

Nakawa Vocational Training College	Mr. Muwanga G. Fred, Principal
	100 trainees
	Mr. Aretor Zerubbabel, Instructor
	Mr. Sebanakitta Wilson Kaaya, Instructor
Embassy of Japan in Uganda	Mr. Tomotaka Yoshimura, Deputy Head of Mission
	Mr. Hiroyuki Hayashi, First Secretary
JICA Uganda Office	Mr. Mikuni Yamae, Assistant Director
Uganda Ministry of Works and Transport	Eng. Winfred Naluyinda, Assistant Commissioner
UNIDO Uganda Field Office	Mr. Bruno Otto, Head of UNIDO operations in Uganda
	Ms. Jackie Arinaitwe, Assistant
UNIDO ITPO Tokyo	Mr. Tadesse Segni, African Advisor
	Chinatsu Hosokawa, Programme Assistant

Comments from participants

Ivan Wata, who participated in the programme as a trainee, said, “We learned that a vehicle contains many dangerous fluids, and there is a specific procedure to keep them safe. Most garages leave these fluids exposed to the environment, which is unsafe.  The skills will be extended to ensure they are handled properly.”  He also emphasized that the acquired knowledge will benefit Uganda by providing a way to dismantle out-of-use vehicles rather than leaving them on the roadsides.