Namibian graduates in Agriculture and Nature Conservation recorded the highest unemployment rate at 47%, followed by Education, Training and Development graduates at 38%, according to the 2024 National Graduate Survey.
The survey, conducted by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), found an overall graduate unemployment rate of 33%, with employment outcomes varying significantly across fields of study and qualification levels.
“The unemployment rate is relatively high among graduates from Agriculture and Nature Conservation (47 per cent), Education, Training and Development (38 per cent) as well as Culture and the Arts, Physical, Mathematical and Computer Sciences, and Physical Planning and Construction fields of learning,” the report said.
The survey covered graduates from the 2019, 2020 and 2021 cohorts of the University of Namibia (UNAM), Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), International University of Management (IUM), Institute of Open Learning (IOL) and Namibia College of Open Learning (NAMCOL).
Of the 32,811 graduates targeted, 9,063 provided valid responses, representing a corrected net response rate of 37%.
Overall, 61% of respondents were employed, 4% were self-employed and 33% were unemployed.
Unemployment was also higher among graduates with lower qualifications, standing at 45% for Certificate and Diploma holders, compared with 31% for Bachelor’s degree holders, 29% for Honours graduates and 7% for those with Master’s degrees.
“Almost two-thirds of the graduates (65 per cent) were in employment (61 per cent employed and 4 per cent self-employed) by the time of the survey,” the report said.
“About three quarters (73 per cent) of the employed graduates were working full-time or had permanent contracts.”
The survey also highlighted lengthy waiting periods before graduates secured employment. Only 14% found employment within three months, while 35% secured jobs within 12 months.
More than half, or 52%, took longer than two years to secure employment, with the median job-search period standing at 25 months.
Among employed graduates, 78% reported that their jobs were closely related to their fields of study, while 70% said their jobs were appropriate for their level of education.
The public sector accounted for 65% of graduate employment, comprising 54% employed in the public service and 11% in public enterprises.
“More than half (54 per cent) of the graduates were employed by the public service and 11 per cent by public enterprises, amounting to 65 per cent for the public sector,” the report said.
By comparison, 24% of graduates were employed in the private sector, while 4% were self-employed.
Education was the largest employment sector, accounting for 39% of employed graduates, followed by public administration at 16% and health at 13%.
The NCHE recommended dedicated studies into unemployment among Agriculture and Education graduates to better understand the factors behind the high rates.
It also called for stronger internship programmes, graduate incubation initiatives and closer monitoring of interventions aimed at improving the transition from higher education to employment.
