Nuusita Ashipala
Ongwediva-About 49 unemployed youths from Oshana Region will benefit from the three-week vocational training sponsored through the Oshana Regional Governor Skills Development Programme.
The sponsorship is funded by the Namsov community trust to the tune of N$159 000. It will cater for accommodation, meals and tuition fees.
The students will be trained in various vocational trades at the Community Skills Development Centre (COSDEC) in Ondangwa.
The skills development programme was initiated to build the technical capacity of the youth in order to secure them employment opportunities and that they establish their own business.
The governor of Oshana Region Clemens Kashuupulwa said the training programme would supplement government efforts in accelerating youth enterprise development, fighting unemployment and eradicating poverty and hunger in the country.
“There is no doubt that vocational training is proven to contribute significantly to youth employment creation. Moreover, vocational studies actually provide survival skills to the youth who are committed to making a meaningful contribution to the development of Namibia,” said Kashuupulwa.
The governor appealed to stakeholders to join hands and assist the young generation to establish themselves in acquiring the required skills to start their own businesses.
Kashuupulwa, who has become an advocate for youth empowerment and skills development, said the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) should commence with youth empowerment.
Equally, the governor encouraged the benefiting youth to study hard to transform their living conditions and reduce unemployment.
The governor further encouraged the beneficiaries to further their studies after being trained at COSDEC.
“We cannot develop this country if we all sit in offices – we need our people trained in vocational trades,” said Kashuupulwa.
The centre manager at COSDEC, Patrick Masiziani, encouraged beneficiaries to stay away from alcohol and drug abuse and to uphold high safety standards while at the centre to avoid fatalities.