Swakopmund: Skills development is one of the most effective tools for youth empowerment, while technical and vocational education remains critical to addressing unemployment and creating sustainable livelihoods for young Namibians.
According to Namibia Press Agency, this is what Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp, conveyed in a speech delivered on her behalf at the launch of the Open Doors Education Centre (ODEC) Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Programme in Swakopmund.
ODEC, a Swakopmund-based non-profit educational institution, is focused on providing alternative learning, skills development, and youth empowerment programmes. These initiatives aim to enhance access to education and employment opportunities for vulnerable and disadvantaged young individuals.
Steenkamp highlighted that this initiative is timely, as approximately 30 per cent of young people aged 15 to 24 are currently not participating in education, employment, or training. The programme offers training in various fields including solar energy systems maintenance, agriculture, hospitality and tourism, graphic design, clothing and fashion design, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.
Steenkamp also urged industry players to fortify partnerships with training institutions to ensure graduates receive practical workplace experience and are prepared to meet the demands of the labour market.
Erongo Governor Natalia |Goagoses called for the expansion of technical and vocational training centres across the region. She emphasized that young people should not have to leave their communities to acquire skills necessary for industries operating locally. |Goagoses stressed the need for establishing TVET centres and skills development programmes as essential measures to address youth unemployment.
Governor |Goagoses described the programme as a model intervention that removes barriers to education and prioritizes vulnerable youth. ODEC Senior TVET Manager Koesha Martin explained that the initiative was created to bridge the gap between unemployment and opportunity by offering accessible vocational training for unemployed and disadvantaged youth aged 16 to 25.
The programme enrolled its first cohort of 73 unemployed young people in April, with a second intake already underway. This free programme will run until 2028, aspiring to form sustainable pathways from skills acquisition to employment and entrepreneurship.