Turning vocational skills into sustainable opportunities

Rozanne Swart
  • 13 Hours Ago

Young people in Windhoek and Outapi have taken steps towards economic independence through two three-day innovation events aimed at turning practical skills into viable business opportunities.

Held under the theme From Skills to Sustainable Opportunities, the UNLEASH Hacks brought together young people trained in trades such as plumbing, painting, leatherwork and creative design. The events formed part of the SkillUp Namibia project and focused on helping participants apply their skills to address community challenges and develop entrepreneurial ideas.

The first event took place at KAYEC in Windhoek from 23 to 25 October, followed by a second at the DAPP Vocational Training School in Outapi from 30 October to 1 November.

Using the UNLEASH innovation methodology, participants worked in teams to identify challenges in their communities, develop simple prototypes and pitch business concepts to panels of judges.

Sisira Withanachchi, team lead of UNLEASH Hack Namibia and project manager at BGZ Berlin, said the initiative focused on helping young people turn ideas into practical income-generating opportunities.

“The Hack is not only about creating a good idea. It is about helping young people understand a real problem, think about who their customer or user is, test a solution and then ask themselves: can this become a real opportunity for income or self-employment?” she said.


Abilities vs needs

The process also aimed to connect participants’ existing technical abilities with actual market needs.

Kassian Amesho, lead facilitator and UNLEASH alumnus from the University of Namibia, said many participants already had valuable practical skills, but needed guidance on how to apply them to solve problems and create business opportunities.

“What the UNLEASH Hack adds is a structured process that helps them move from 'I know how to do something' to 'I can use this skill to solve a problem and create an opportunity',” he said.

Nelson Prada, director of KAYEC Trust, said giving young people ownership of their ideas was central to the initiative. “The most important part was that the ideas remained the ideas of the Talents themselves. This is an important step in helping young people build confidence and see how the skills they have gained can create real opportunities,” he said.

Reflecting on the Outapi event, Bikkie Seolwane, project manager at DAPP Namibia, said the programme encouraged participants from surrounding communities to put their training into practice.

“It encourages them to think creatively about how those skills can generate income, address local challenges and contribute to the well-being of their communities,” she said.

The winning teams from both locations received toolboxes suited to their respective trades. They will also travel to Windhoek to present their business concepts to business leaders, with the aim of exploring potential partnerships and opportunities for self-employment.