Maria Haipinge
The Global Shapers Windhoek Hub in collaboration with the United Nations Namibia recently wrapped up applications for the 2022 intake of unemployed graduates to equip them with skills to thrive in the job market.
Cohort 3 of the ShapeSkills workshop will receive training in communication, marketing and diplomacy, project management, entrepreneurship, and IT and web design for unemployed graduates from university or college in the past two years based in Windhoek.
The workshop will take place over five Saturdays, starting this weekend at the UN House in Klein Windhoek.
Thirty successful participants will be notified as soon as the selection process is done.
Vekunda Kakujaha, ShapeSkills programme coordinator, said they target unemployed youth as a direct response to the high youth unemployment in Namibia, which stood at 40.44% in 2021 according to the NSA.
“We upskill them to improve their chances of employment in an already highly-competitive employment market, spearheading the vision of the sustainable development goals in partnership with the UN, while focusing on areas that are relevant to the Namibian market regardless of your profession.”
Asked why training is offered in those specific areas, Kakujaha (25) said these thematic areas were chosen due to their relevance within the Namibian economy across all industries. It is being facilitated by highly skilled Global Shapers from the Windhoek Hub, leveraging their technical expertise and experience to transfer skills and build capacity in incoming intakes.
The training will be facilitated by young and vibrant professionals such as communications and marketing expert Gerold Dreyer and political analyst David Fono Shoombe.
Helena Johannes (24), the communications and content coordinator, said graduates are being equipped with employability skills demanded by employers.
“These are employable competencies, new, changing and emerging skills, which will allow them to possess the necessary skills needed in this ever-changing world and it will help them stand out during interviews making it easier for them to secure jobs,” explained Johannes.
ShapeSkills responds to the high youth unemployment rate in Namibia and addresses the weakening economic conditions for employment aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic.