The Capricorn Foundation, in partnership with Unmatched Potential – Business Box Namibia, has launched a new entrepreneurship programme aimed at equipping vocational graduates with business skills and practical experience.
The Vocational Graduate Entrepreneurship Programme was launched in Swakopmund and targets Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates, with a focus on strengthening entrepreneurship and improving youth employment outcomes.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to support vocational training in Namibia, which is identified as a key driver of economic growth under national frameworks such as Vision 2030 and the Sixth National Development Plan.
In its first phase, the programme will select 20 graduates from the Erongo Region who completed accredited TVET qualifications at levels three or four within the past five years.
Participants will undergo a three-month programme focused on bridging the gap between technical skills and business readiness. The training will include mentorship, practical guidance and exposure to entrepreneurial concepts aimed at enabling participants to start and manage their own ventures.
Head of the Capricorn Foundation, Veripura Muukua, said the initiative is designed to support young people in translating their technical skills into sustainable livelihoods.
“Vocational graduates are at the centre of Namibia’s development. This programme provides not only skills, but pathways for young people to create opportunities for themselves and contribute to economic growth,” Muukua said.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Unmatched Potential – Business Box Namibia, Etienne Raymond, said the programme aims to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among participants.
“We believe that shifting mindsets from dependency to value creation is critical. This programme focuses on helping participants turn their skills into commercially viable opportunities,” Raymond said.
The programme will begin with an application and selection process, where 30 shortlisted candidates will be invited to pitch before 20 participants are selected for the final cohort.
Applications are open to eligible graduates in the Erongo Region, with submissions closing on 3 April 2026.
The Capricorn Foundation, a Namibian welfare organisation funded by Bank Windhoek, Capricorn Asset Management and Entrepo, said the initiative forms part of its broader focus on youth development, entrepreneurship and community upliftment.
The programme comes as Namibia continues to face high youth unemployment, with increased attention being placed on entrepreneurship and skills development as key drivers of inclusive economic growth.
