Martha Gabriel, Collins Limbo

WINDHOEK - Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry Anna Shiweda this week encouraged graduates from NamWater’s Human Resources Development Centre to explore forming partnerships with institutions that will enable them to become entrepreneurs instead of job seekers. 

A total of 128 students, specialising in different trades such as electrical, plumbing and pipe-fitting, diesel mechanics and water care, graduated at the ceremony in Windhoek. 

Shiweda encouraged students to investigate how they can form partnerships and how to become entrepreneurs to add value to the Namibian economy. 

“There are financial facilities to support youth incentives, such as the Youth Skills Based Lending Facility, which is administered by the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN). Please approach the bank to find out how you could benefit from such a facility once you have formalised your business or enterprise through appropriate legal formalities,” urged Shiweda. 

She further told the graduates to be innovative and creative in order to tap into and take advantage of the opportunities that exist in the market. 

She added that this would propel graduates to contribute to the economic development of the country.
“As you are aware, hundreds of graduates remain unemployed, which is partly to be attributed to the mentality of our graduates who often study and graduate with the hope to be employed by government or the private sector.” 

She said there is a need for a paradigm shift from the notion of graduating to be a job seeker to an attitude that envisions and strive towards self-employment and job creation. 
“In your case, the technical skills that you acquired through your training in the areas of bricklaying, plumbing, electrical and others, allow you to be self-employed and to be employers,” said Shiweda.