Joseph Ruzendo
The latest statistics by the Namibia Statistics Agency are worrisome. In 2019, it revealed that Namibia had 364 411 unemployed people between the period of 2016 and 2018. We all can see it. Many graduates have been sitting at home for a long time. Others have sat for more than 10 years without finding proper jobs, yet they have diploma, degree and master’s qualifications. We also have graduates who are employed, but their salaries are as good as someone who is not yet employed. As a nation, we need to answer this question: “why do we keep on producing so many graduates who cannot find jobs?” Meanwhile, this article will attempt to answer that question by addressing the issue of “limitations.”
Many people who could have found a job have been limited from finding one. Limitations are in a number of forms, including geographical, mental, spiritual and exposure.
Geographical limitation refers to physical location. Some graduates have the right qualifications to get a job, but they are limited by their physical location. Most graduates can find a job in a different location within Namibia or outside the borders of the country. There are many jobs that need to be filled in countries overseas. There is one unique trait that Namibians got, “we do not like exploring, going out of the country, or even envisioning ourselves working or staying in a different country.” This has acted as a disadvantage to many graduates.
The United Nations and its agencies are always advertising positions that require to be filled, but we do not apply for these jobs. Also, there are many companies in Africa which are looking to employ competent staff, but Namibians are not applying for such positions. There are jobs that pay very well, which are located away from this country. Check out such jobs, and apply for them. Do not be limited by the location of the job.
Mental
Many people are limited from getting a job because of what they think. Some graduates think they do not qualify to apply for certain positions because the position is either too high in rank, or not in the area of their study. There are also those graduates who have applied for jobs too many times, and have given up they became frustrated and defeated. Another category of graduates simply are not looking for jobs, waiting for the government to employ them. Some graduates are not prepared to start low and progress in their careers. They want to be paid huge sums of money right when they start working and also get a big position.
Spiritual limitation is when a person does not get a job because of reasons connected to their spirituality, religion and beliefs. There are some people who have decided not to be employed, but simply dedicate their time fully to religious activities. Some people believe they are cursed and therefore will not get a job. There are some families in which no one is working, despite having good qualifications. Spiritual limitations can also be noticed when a person becomes very sick all the time they get a job.
Exposure
Some people are not employed because they have not exposed themselves to environments that demand their skills. Lacking exposure is one of the limitations contributing to the unemployment rate in the country. To this end, some young Namibians have created a Facebook page called “Namibian Opportunities”. Go and follow in order to expose ourselves to international opportunities so that we can beat unemployment together.