In support of social distancing measures and to combat the spread of Covid-19, Bank Windhoek, in partnership with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) and B360 Education Partnerships, have decided to host an online Career Starter programme.
Designed to provide a sequential path through career development, knowledge and skills essential for success in the job search, the online Career Starter programme will see a total of twelve graduates, divided into groups of four, take part in the initiative. The programme will be spread over six weeks, during which each group will have online contact sessions with a Swiss-based mentor.
The first group of graduates started their online sessions on Monday, 8 June 2020, while the remaining teams will join on Monday, 15 June 2020. The sessions will conclude at the end of July 2020.
The initiative will expose graduates to a range of topics, including Curriculum Vitae (CV) preparation and drafting of cover letters, interview training, organisational structure, entrepreneurship, project management, governance, and ethics.
“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have been encouraged to increase our use of online/virtual learning platforms significantly. As a result, most of our classes are now online. It is also fitting to conduct our Career Starter initiative similarly,” said NUST’s International Relations Officer Nico Smit.
Bank Windhoek will support the initiative through a contribution to the purchasing of mobile data bundles throughout the online programme. “All 12 participants will have weekly prepaid data bundles that will allow them to participate in the programme fully. Thank you to Bank Windhoek for making this possible,” said Smit.
Bank Windhoek’s Human Capital specialists will also virtually engage the graduates with presentations aimed at coaching them on how to prepare themselves for possible employment in a highly competitive job environment. “As a responsible corporate citizen, dedicated to the promotion of education in Namibia, we believe our involvement in this initiative will help assist graduates find suitable employment. We are proud to offer our assistance,” said Bank Windhoek’s Human Resources Business Partner Manager Retuura Ballotti.
Switzerland-based B360 Education Partnerships, a non-governmental organisation comprising a pool of professionals in numerous disciplines across a variety of industries, will facilitate the online Career Starter Programme. Four Swiss professionals from B360 will mentor the graduates for six weeks.