The system of apprenticeship within the so-called informal sector in East and Central Africa is generally thought to be more limited than in West Africa, albeit less well documented. This note reports briefly some findings from Uganda, based on a survey covering 45 metal-working and 45 wood-working establishments in and around Kampala from June to August 1993. Selected on a more or less random basis, all 90 were in the ‘micro-enterprise’ category, employing less than to persons, with a mean size of 5·7 (metal) and 5·0 (wood). As regards the first trade, 25 of these establishments were located in Katwe, seven in Kisenyi, six in Bwaise, four in Nbeeda, and three in Nakawa. The sample of wood-working establishments was selected more widely from 16 different locations, the most from any one place being seven.