A gathering to mentor and share information to help young people realise their potential and discover their passions will be held at the Hosianna Parish Church in Kuisebmund, Walvis Bay, on Saturday.
This will be the first Cultural Education Exchange J1-Internship Mentorship session for the AfriYoung Global Education Exchange Academy in Namibia to take place in Walvis Bay.
AfriYoung will direct the programme through the Global Work Integrated Learning (GWIL) and the cultural education exchange internship youth programme.
The seminar will be held under the theme, ‘New Global skills learning by Doing, Earning and Learning at the same time’.
Simon Williams, the creator of the programme, said the overall goal of the event is to provide youth with useful career guidance information sessions on how to get ready for international internship exposure and cross-cultural career exposure through practical training in the United States of America (USA), Europe and Canada in a variety of career pathways like hospitality, tourism, education, teaching and other career disciplines.
“Young people in Namibia do not always have access to career counselling and professional mentoring, and many parents and guardians are also unaware of the options for hands-on training and internship programmes that promote cultural interaction that is accessible to them,” he explained.
Williams added that they hope to raise awareness of the issue and offer proactive mentoring and helpful information to help young people realise their potential and discover their passions.
The session is intended for people between the ages of 18 and 35, who have completed NQF L5 or higher in their academic studies and have at least one year of professional experience in their chosen field.
Youth without credentials must demonstrate five years of work experience, and those without degrees or relevant work experience are still welcome to be assisted in identifying their passions and talents to launch a professional career, according to Jersey Katjimune, the programme’s marketing coordinator.
The curriculum vitae, resume format, budget plan for the J1 internship, interview mentoring, digital interviews, skype communication and professional personal grooming are some topics on the list of subjects to be covered in the session.
Guests will include business leaders, alumni and mentors, who have done J1-Internships overseas.
Among them are Chef Wessels Shifugula, who took part in the programme and Chef Primus Akwenye, who finished a 12-month culinary arts school at West Palm Beach Gardens in Florida, USA last year and is currently employed at Flamingo Villas Boutique in Namibia.
The event will begin at 10h00 and entrance will cost N$290 per person.