Windhoek — On a hot afternoon , Thomas, a 24‑year‑old graduate in logistics, scrolls through yet another list of unfilled positions, most requiring two to five years of experience. “I finished university with honors,” he says, voice tinged with frustration, “but no job wants someone like me.” His story is not unique. It reflects a growing paradox: Namibia’s youth are educated — yet increasingly excluded from the economy.
In 2025, Namibia recorded one of the highest unemployment rates in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), with 36.9 % of the labour force without a job — higher than countries like Botswana and Zimbabwe. When the broader measure (including discouraged jobseekers) is considered, unemployment soars above 50%. For young Namibians aged 15–34 — nearly two‑thirds of the working population — these figures are even more distressing.
Yet many of these young jobseekers are not uneducated; they hold diplomas and degrees from universities and vocational institutions. In fact, government policies have significantly expanded access to tertiary education. But this expansion has outpaced the economy’s ability to absorb graduates.
Instead of closing the employment gap, the system has produced large numbers of graduates with limited pathways into meaningful work.
The problem lies not in the ambition of youth, but in a structural mismatch between what is taught and what the economy demands. Namibia’s education system remains significantly theoretical, even as global labour markets evolve rapidly. In many secondary schools, especially in rural areas, students lack access to quality infrastructure, specialist teachers, and up‑to‑date curricula. As a result, many young people graduate with certificates that do not equip them for the digital, technical, and creative jobs emerging in the global economy.
Nor does the labour market offer clear bridges from graduation to gainful employment. Internships, apprenticeships, and structured on‑the‑job experience — critical transition mechanisms in countries that have successfully tackled youth unemployment — are largely underdeveloped.
Consider Germany’s dual education system, where apprenticeships are a standard part of vocational training. Students split time between classrooms and paid workplace training, emerging ready to contribute from day one. Switzerland employs a similar model, and countries such as Singapore update curricula in real time based on labour‑market needs. Together, these systems ensure that young people enter the workforce with both credentials and experience.
Other countries have forged innovative solutions too.
Australia’s Jobs PaTH initiative blends internships, mentoring, and wage subsidies to help young people transition into work; South Korea couples youth entrepreneurship support with financing and incubation; and in India and Estonia, digital skills programmes and online work platforms connect young workers to the global marketplace.
Cl o s er to home , Mauritius reduced youth unemployment from around 30 % a decade ago to roughly 20 % today through deliberate economic diversification into tourism and financial services, paired with vocational training tied directly to those sectors. Rwanda has also shown progress by centering entrepreneurship, ICT, and public‑private partnerships in its employment strategies — lowering youth unemployment from over 22 % to roughly 17 % in recent years.
Namibia can and must adapt these lessons. Practical steps include: National Apprenticeship and Internship Framework: Government, education institutions, and the private sector jointly fund structured workplace experience.
Labour ‑ Market Intelligence Units: These track emerging skills demand and guide periodic curriculum reform across secondary schools, TVETs, and universities.
Digital Work Hubs: Centres in towns and rural regions to connect youth to freelancing, remote services, and e‑commerce opportunities.
Employer Incentives: Tax breaks, wage subsidies, or recognition schemes for firms that hire and train young workers.
Youth Enterprise Ecosystems: Bundled access to startup financing, mentorship, and market connections to turn entrepreneurial talent into sustainable businesses. Importantly, these reforms require more than technical fixes; they demand political will, cross‑sector collaboration, and sustained investment. Education must shift from simply issuing certificates to building workplace readiness and economic relevance.
The stakes are not just economic. Namibia has one of the youngest populations in the region, with a majority under age 35.
If this generation remains unable to find meaningful work, the social and political costs could be severe — from rising inequality and frustration to stunted innovation and slower growth.
Yet the potential upside is equally profound. A well‑trained, employed youth workforce could drive productivity, innovation, and long‑term inclusive growth.
Achieving this, however, will require confronting inconvenient truths about systemic inefficiencies and replacing outdated models with forward‑looking, evidence‑based policies.
In the words of one young graduate, “We want to build our country, but we need systems that let us do that.” For Namibia, the question is clear: will it reform its systems and unlock the potential of its youth — or watch a generation of educated young people remain idle on the margins?
*Turimove K.Katjipo
Email: kturymuje@gmail.com
