Eveline de Klerk
WALVIS BAY - Lineekela Kandjungu is about to embark on an unlikely maritime career considering his background. The Windhoek-born 22-year-old graduand is one of the success stories of Namport’s Catch-Them-Young (CTY) maritime school after he successfully completed the programme and is currently a Marine Class II Trainee Navigator intern at Namport.
Sharing his journey, Kandjungu said he benefited through the programme for the past six years. He successfully applied for the programme in 2015.
Kandjungu said he was in grade nine at the Ongha Secondary School in the Ohangwena region, when he was chosen to join the programme at Simon’s Town School’s Lawhill Maritime Centre in South Africa.
“I majored in maritime economics and Nautical Science from grade 10 to 12 where I was groomed and equipped with the foundation of the maritime knowledge and skills I possess today,” he said.
He said moving to South Africa was challenging while also adapting to a new education system. Initially, he dreamt of becoming a chartered accountant but ultimately fell in love with the sea.
“One of my highlights was in 2018, during my matric when I got the opportunity to travel to Istanbul, Turkey with two others on a fully paid round voyage to experience the maritime riches of that country,” he said. Kandjungu, after completing school was accepted at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s Granger Bay campus to study navigation.
He completed his studies cum laude with 18 distinctions in 2020 and went to sea where he served for about five months on a reefer vessel, as a deck cadet as part of his university qualification’s sea time requirement.
“I am currently at the port as an intern as I await to go back to sea for my sea time completion before going for orals and obtaining my Unlimited Class III Licence. I am grateful that Namport gave me the opportunity to become what I am today. I also hope that my story inspires all young people to dream and chase their dreams,” Kandjungu said.
He then explained that he has countless career opportunities to consider, all thanks to Namport.
“I can choose from navigators who run ships, to marine engineers who make ships run, to marine pilots who assist with the movement of ships within port limits, to naval architects who design vessels. The list goes on, and the choice is just laid in your hands. I can only be of encouragement for you to bear passion from within and take your mark,” he said.
Namport is now reaping the fruits of their Catch-Them-Young (CTY) Maritime School investment that was started in 2013 as part of their quest to develop and nurture maritime skills at a young age.
Namport CEO, Andrew Kanime also highlighted the importance of the maritime industry. He said the industry faces a shortage of skills, hence all role players should come together to nurture talent to maximise the sustainable use of the country’s marine resources.
“Pursuant to this drive, Namport invested in the CTY training scheme which aims to create a strong maritime career foundation for the entire country to address the skills deficit faced by the maritime industry,” he said. According to him, the scheme focuses on sending children of school-going age to Lawhill Maritime School in Cape Town where they are afforded the opportunity to study and get a strong foundation for tertiary qualifications in the maritime sector.
He said since the inception of the programme, Namport trained 12 learners of which eight successfully completed the programme and proceeded to tertiary education.
Kanime added that the ultimate goal of the programme is to develop and capacitate Namibia to have the required capacity pool to drive the industry.
“This may be the perfect opportunity for you to let go of your anchors of uncertainty and doubt, and get underway with your journey to thousands of sea miles,” said Kandjungu.