NUST Tapping Youth Employability Opportunities

The conference is the outcome of a six-year project partnership between NUST and Hochschule Wismar University of Applied Sciences which started in 2012. During its six-year duration, 30 students and 15 staff members from the three partner universities, benefited by participating in different project activities with an international focus.

“A lot of initiatives, projects and programmes, such as on-the-job training, vocational training initiatives, and dedicated entrepreneurship and start-up initiatives have been launched and are running in universities, as well as private and public institutions across the world. All of these have the same aim, which is to raise employability opportunities for young people, thereby enhancing economic performance and competitiveness at national and global levels,” remarked Hon. Dr Becky Ndjoze-Ojo, Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation.

Research indicates that in most developing countries, graduates unemployment is part of the bigger challenge of youth unemployment.

Dr Tjama Tjivikua, the NUST Vice-Chancellor (Pro Tem) said: “Employability is central to our programmes and thus through entrepreneurship and Work Integrated Learning programmes, it is embedded in the curriculum. We provide students with the appropriate preparation and practice to enhance their understanding of the business environment and the world-of-work. This has necessitated that we examine and create the knowledge-base that informs our teaching ethos with the research we conduct. To this end, evidenceinformed approaches in higher education have increasingly become essential.”

The event was hosted by NUST’s Cooperative Education Unit (CEU).