UNAM students begin internships at Transfigured Academy

Bridging the gap
A five-year partnership will give students practical workplace experience, internships and leadership opportunities.
Ndapandula Lilonga
  • 7 Hours Ago

The transition from the lecture hall to the workplace has never been more important, particularly as youth unemployment remains one of Namibia’s pressing challenges.

To help bridge this gap, the University of Namibia (UNAM) and Transfigured Academy have signed a five-year strategic agreement focused on student internships, work-integrated learning and leadership development.

The partnership will give students and graduates practical, real-world experience across various economic sectors, complementing their academic training and preparing them for the demands of the workplace.

UNAM vice-chancellor Professor Kenneth Matengu said academic qualifications alone do not necessarily translate into competence, highlighting the importance of practical experience. “You can’t just have qualifications without experience and expect to be competent. You are competent when you have both qualifications and experience. Internship opportunities provide that experience,” Matengu said.

He drew on his own experience, recalling that he spent three years as an intern at UNAM. “And so, I know what it means to be given an opportunity,” he said.

Matengu also called on African higher education institutions to promote knowledge sovereignty by developing local solutions capable of driving socio-economic progress across the continent.

He said universities have an important role to play in ensuring that knowledge and innovation respond to Africa’s challenges and opportunities.

The agreement is already moving beyond paper, with the first cohort of 15 UNAM students placed in internships across various sectors since April.

Transfigured Academy founder Daniel Caleb said the academy’s mission is to bridge the gap between academic education and the demands of the workplace. “We had this idea of helping the next generation achieve their goals and bridge the gap between what students want to achieve and do in life and finding opportunities in the marketplace to make those aspirations a reality,” Caleb said.

He described the partnership as the realisation of a long-held vision and said the collaboration with UNAM would help create opportunities for young people. “For us, this day truly marks the realisation of a dream we had, which has now become a reality,” Caleb said.

He thanked UNAM for its support, saying the partnership would allow both organisations to find solutions together and make a difference for the next generation.

With youth unemployment remaining a major challenge, the partnership aims to ensure graduates leave university with more than academic qualifications, equipping them with the practical experience, skills and workplace exposure needed to navigate the world of work.