B360 Namibia has launched efforts to address youth unemployment by focusing on improving the work-readiness of young Namibians, amid growing concern over the gap between qualifications and employability.
The organisation is conducting a situation analysis to assess graduate employability and youth unemployment, with a focus on soft skills gaps, high school attrition rates and the time it takes graduates to find jobs.
Country Manager Nico Smit said the research will inform new programmes and refine existing interventions, including the Career Starter Week (CSW).
“We are undertaking this situation analysis so that we can gain an informed view of the situation as it relates to youth unemployment in Namibia,” Smit said.
He said several persistent challenges continue to undermine young jobseekers.
“Often young people do not pay attention to detail and make errors that could have been easily avoided. They lack interview skills, often not being properly prepared and having done very little research for the role and on the organisation. A further challenge is English language skills, both written and spoken, especially professional business communication. In many instances young graduates lack basic IT skills, not being proficient in MS Office and lacking word processing and IT skills,” he said.
B360 Namibia’s flagship programme, the Career Starter Week, is a five-day workshop designed to improve employability through practical training.
The programme, developed by B360 education partnerships, was first piloted at the Namibia University of Science and Technology in 2017.
More than 435 Namibians have participated in the workshop to date, with a further 70 completing the virtual Career Starter Course.
Smit said the workshop covers job applications, interview skills, teamwork, presentation skills, professional communication, time management, problem-solving, financial planning, professionalism, adaptability and entrepreneurship.
“The CSW takes a very practical and hands-on approach. Participants are challenged to engage with the material, think critically, practise and apply, and then propose a solution,” he said.
B360 Namibia plans to host its first independently organised CSW workshops in October 2026 in Windhoek, targeting unemployed university graduates.
“B360 Namibia will host two CSW workshops in October 2026. Two Swiss-based professionals will travel to Namibia for overall content delivery and we have already confirmed some Namibian professionals for participation in content delivery at this workshop,” Smit said.
The organisation said it also plans to expand the workshops beyond Windhoek, where demand is expected to be high.
In addition, B360 Namibia is developing a mentorship programme aimed at pairing final-year students and unemployed graduates with experienced professionals.
Through its training programmes and research, the organisation aims to improve employability and support young Namibians in transitioning into the labour market.
