Allexer Namundjembo
Student advocate Gabriel Mandume has urged young people to take technical and vocational education and Training (TVET) seriously, saying it should be seen as “a path to jobs and not a backup plan”.
Mandume said many learners still treat TVET as a second option and “only something to consider if university places do not materialise”. He said this mindset weakens efforts to tackle youth unemployment.
Mandume referred to the latest labour force figures from the Namibia Statistics Agency, which show that the unemployment rate rose to 36.9% in 2023 from 33.4% in 2018.
“This means that more than one in three working-age people who want a job cannot find one,” he told the Windhoek Observer on Tuesday.
He said TVET institutions offer training in practical fields such as automotive repair, welding, plumbing and electrical installation. These skills, he said, match the needs of employers.
“For example, a Grade 12 learner who performs well in mathematics and science but does not secure a university place can enrol in a TVET programme in industrial technology or construction. Within two years, they could qualify to work on building projects or even start a small construction business,” Mandume said.
He added that the education ministry continues to promote TVET through career and trade expos that connect learners with employers and highlight opportunities in the vocational sector.
His remarks come as skills-based programmes expand across the country. This week, a five-day basic maintenance welding training programme was launched in Swakopmund. Similar decentralisation initiatives have taken place in the Omusati Region.
The training runs from 16 to 20 February. It targets unemployed people and community members.
The programme aims to provide basic technical skills needed in sectors such as oil and gas, renewable energy and green hydrogen.
Organisers said the initiative addresses skills shortages by offering entry-level training to people who often do not have access to formal vocational education.
One beneficiary is the Men on the Side of the Road Project Namibia, which supports unskilled and semi-skilled men who gather daily in search of casual work.
The organisation’s chief executive officer, Crystal Beukes, said the training offers a chance to improve employability.
“It is incredibly important to uplift people who are willing to learn new skills. For many of our participants, this basic maintenance welding course is a perfect start. It provides not just a technical foundation, but the confidence and opportunity to move from the sidelines into active roles within our local economy,” Beukes said.
The programme is implemented through partnerships between local and international stakeholders. Postcode Lottery in Germany is the main funder, while the German Embassy to Namibia donated welding equipment for the training and future use.
Other partners include Intercultural Relations, WeldNAM and GSI Namibia, which is providing trainers and the venue. Organisers said the initiative forms part of wider efforts to bring technical skills training to coastal communities and support local industries and household incomes.
