Windhoek
An accounting and auditing lecturer at the University of Namibia (Unam), says graduates are exposed during their studies to most of the generic skills required for the jobmarket, but concerted efforts are needed to assess one’s own skills gap and devise plans on how to improve.
Many Namibian graduates, whether they studied locally or abroad, find themselves roaming the streets without jobs for years due to factors beyond their control, such as a glut in the market when there are too many graduates in specific fields.
The Khomas Region currently has the largest number of young people without work. According to the 2012 Labour Force survey, conducted by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), it is estimated there are 610,437 young people between the ages of 15 to 29 in Namibia; of these, 328,496 (42,8 per cent) are unemployed.
Speaking at the two-day Unam Employment Expo, which ended on Wednesday, accounting and auditing lecturer, Patrick Swartz, said the silver lining in the NSA report was that only 1.3 per cent of unemployed youth had a tertiary qualification, which points to the competiveness of the local labour market.
“Today, you walk around with your friend, tomorrow you become fierce competitors for the same job. Unam offers you technical knowledge through a vigorous degree programme and this degree enables you to be recognised as an achiever, someone who committed his or her life towards attaining this degree.
“But your friend also produces the same degree for the same job. What sets you apart from your friend’s application?” he asked.
Hence he highlights some critical skills that employers look for in prospective employees, which should benefit those who find themselves roaming the streets without work. These skills, he indicated, include good communication skills, planning and organising, problem solving, teamwork and computer literacy, as key generic skills needed beyond academic achievement.
Other ‘soft skills’, he says, often mentioned by employers include flexibility, negotiation and persuasion skills, ethical behaviour or good value system, loyalty, commitment, initiative and self-motivation.
“It does not matter whether you studied science, agriculture, tourism, accounting or history. For instance, if communication is a challenge to you as a student, participate in the debating society. If you need to work in teams, join the activities of a society that you belong to, or volunteer for projects offered by the university community,” he advised.
Unam spokesperson, John Haufiku, said the Expo is the first of its kind and replaced the Career Expo, which previously targeted high school learners.
He explained the shift by saying many graduates don’t understand the total skills requirements of the modern labour market. “This Expo aims to ensure that graduates know what set of skills are required, apart from their formal qualifications,” Haufiku said.
For those struggling with problem-solving skills, Swartz advises students to do volunteer work at summer-or youth-camps, since at such gatherings volunteers are usually tasked with planning, decision-making and teamwork.
“The key is to look carefully at the tasks you are currently performing and see how you can improve some of these skills,” Swartz proposed.
Haufiku said, following the successful hosting of the Expo at the main campus where it was initiated by the Dean of Students, Unam now plans to take it on tour to satellite campuses around the country.