• Education

Equipping upcoming professionals

Octavia Tsibes





MTC launched its National Internship Programme yesterday.

“The initiative is a deliberate response to address the dire need of interns at various institutions of higher learning who are struggling to find placement to attain the minimum job (experience) required to graduate,” said Elvis Nashilongo, chairperson of the MTC board.

Nashilongo said business entities have always been subject to the nation’s ability to consistently produce the relevant and requisite skills, therefore corporates need to step up collaborations with academia in order to sustainably gain from this symbiotic relationship.

“The initiative, which is named the MTC National Internship Programme, is not to promote brand promotion but serves as a national solution to a national challenge,” he said.

The program will accommodate a total of 161 interns per year who will be placed at various public and private institutions.

“MTC will pay a monthly allowance of N$ 3 000 per student over the period of three months, and where a student requires a six-month internship, an amount of N$1 500 will be paid,” Nashilongo said.

Companies such as the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund, which is a stakeholder, pledged to add an additional N$2 000 on top of the MTC monthly allowance per intern.

Selection process

The programme is directed towards strengthening the collaboration between the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust), the University of Namibia (Unam), the International University of Management (IUM) and the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT).

“MTC, being the facilitator, approached the institutions after potential stakeholders to come on board to take in interns in various departments,” Fikameni Mathias, MTC corporate communication officer, said. He said the institutions of higher learning had to select students whose academic programmes require them to undergo an internship prior to graduation.

They were asked to send their résumés.

“Government efforts are underway to engage and establish a policy framework to formalise and implement a work-based learning scheme,” higher education minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi said.

She said it is the collective responsibility of government and the private and public sectors to provide young people with the right life compasses and survival kits. “Government is urging the private sector, MTC and partners to aim to work in unison and produce highly skilled graduates who meet industry demands, through integrated work-based learning.”

Kandjii-Murangi urged the selected students to work hard.

“Your determination to work harder than average will set you apart. Take this very rare opportunity and put it to good use for your own empowerment,” she said.

The steering committee comprised of MTC personal and representatives of the four participating institutions, and is chaired by MTC executive Tim Ekandjo.