Dwight Links
The Namibia Training Authority (NTA) is currently conducting a Technical and Vocational Educational Training survey for the cohort of vocational and training graduates who were released into the labour market between 2018 and 2020.
The period under review is similar to the first measured period of 2015 to 2017 where 2,668 graduates were surveyed after they left the training sphere.
“The Ministry of Higher Education and the NTA wants to hear from the graduates who completed their training during 2018 to 2020,” the NTA indicated.
“Share your training and labour market experience. Through your participation we will collect extensive data about our country’s TVET graduates towards understanding the role of training institutions in the sector and identifying areas of improvement.”
The authority says that this survey helps them to better understand the economic landscape that exists for the young Namibians that depart for the labour sectors that are serviced by the TVET training sector.
“We believe that we can better appreciate all aspects related to our trainees and graduates when we see these aspects through their eyes,” the NTA says.
The previous period of 2015 to 2017 outlined that 2,668 participants were surveyed. Out of this sample size, 14.6% were self-employed, 7.6% had contract based work, 6% had occasional work and 7% fell within the other kind of employment bracket.
Only 12.9% had steady jobs during this period.
The opposite picture points that 50.12% were not employed and could not acquire employment during this period under review.
The NTA says in the report that the job seeking environment depicted a constant struggle for the graduates.
“Securing a regular job remains an uphill battle and an extensive process as only 12.9% of the respondents are fully employed, whereas 14.6% are self-employed,” the authority said.
The gender spread in the cohorts for the period saw a coverage of 57.8% being men and 42.2% being women in the survey.
“Self-employment according to respondents is largely dominated by endless efforts to secure gainful employment opportunities,”said the NTA, adding that the self-employers are constrained by a lack of start-up capital as they mostly relying on personal savings and family and friend support.
Other difficulties include business registration, competition, lack of tools/machinery and material, limited contract jobs/tender opportunities, customer base limitations and a lack of operating space/workshops are other challenges,the NTA says.
At least 306 employers were also part of the economic survey with the total number of self-employed establishments being 298.
“The overall objective of the survey was aimed at generating empirical data to aid the NTA in the delivery of its ongoing strategic endeavour to render accessible and equitable TVET services,” the NTA says.
The survey also anticipated to validate whether TVET qualifications were keeping track with the evolving demands of the labour market in terms of the relevance and effectiveness thereof.