John Muyamba
Rundu-Kavango West Regional Governor Sirkka Ausiku has applauded the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation for giving unemployed graduates a chance to go through entrepreneurship training, which could enable them to be self-employed as well as create jobs and make a change.
Ausiku’s compliments were read on her behalf by her advisor Heiki Ausiku, during the official opening of the weeklong Student Entrepreneurs Programme (SEP) conference underway in Rundu at the Erick Tjandja hall, Rundu Vocational Training Centre.
The programme, which started yesterday, is an initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation to give unemployed and business-minded graduates a platform to learn entrepreneurial skills. SEP aims to help young Namibians to become job creators as an alternative to job seekers.
“It is a fact that a number of our graduates are unemployed – however this programme will provide selected unemployed graduates with the necessary tools to enable them to realise their dreams of starting their business. The students entrepreneurship programme will be one way to address unemployment amongst the youth,” Ausiku noted.
“I was informed that after the intensive training the 40 youths would be able to produce good business plans that will then be submitted to some financial institutions for possible funding, therefore I urge our financial institutions to come on board and assist the ministry in this initiative,” Ausiku added.
With the current 52.6 unemployment rate amongst the youth in Kavango West Region, Ausiku encouraged the successful participants to do their best during the weeklong training.
“As a region we want you to create employment for your fellow unemployed graduates when you go back. I would like to use this opportunity to thank the ministry for this initiative to assist our unemployed graduates through this entrepreneurship programme,” she said.