Namibian students struggle to secure internships amid soaring unemployment

A generation of young professionals is being held hostage by a system that has failed to create enough job placements.
Desmarius Hansen
  • 1 Day Ago
Despite Namibia’s alarmingly high youth unemployment rate of 44.4% (Namibia Statistics Agency, 2023), many university students say they are struggling more than ever to secure internships - a crucial stepping stone to employment. They cite limited opportunities, tough competition and a lack of structured placement programmes as reasons for being trapped in a cycle of endless applications and rejections.

“It took me two years to finally secure an internship. This was only after I had sent out my CV to several organisations, with no success,” says Owen Hansen, a final-year student at NUST, voicing a frustration shared by many of his peers.

Internships are widely seen as vital for helping students gain soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, all qualities that employers value as much as technical expertise. By providing hands-on exposure, internships ease the transition from student life into the professional world, making graduates more employable in an increasingly competitive market. However, the shortage of placements continues to worsen Namibia’s youth unemployment crisis.



'National emergency'

“This is not merely a student issue; it is a national emergency,” says NANSO spokesperson Jessy Abraham. “At institutions like NUST, students often cannot graduate on time because they lack compulsory internships. A generation of young professionals is being held hostage by a system that has failed to create enough placements. This forces students into extended programmes, while their potential contributions to national development remain unrealised. We are essentially exploiting our future workforce, subjecting brilliant young minds to substandard conditions while expecting them to contribute meaningfully to sectors that refuse to invest in their development.”

In response, NANSO is calling for urgent reform of Namibia’s internship system, urging government, universities, and the private sector to act without delay. The student body wants the Labour Commissioner to establish a national internship framework that includes minimum stipends, structured mentorship and strict enforcement of labour protections.

It also calls on universities to improve placement mechanisms, forge partnerships and ensure humane working conditions for students. NANSO further appeals to businesses to expand opportunities and invest in young talent, stressing that fair treatment and proper support for interns are essential for building Namibia’s future workforce and advancing national development.