Windhoek — The Polytechnic of Namibia's Centre for Cooperative Education (CCE) has appointed Tim Ekandjo as its patron. Ekandjo is employed as the Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer at MTC, and is the founder and president of the Institute of People Management of Namibia (IPM).

Ekandjo vowed to use the patron seat to implore corporate Namibia to become part of the solution rather than point fingers at institutions of higher learning for not producing 'employable graduates'.

He says institutions of higher learning will only be able to produce top of the range graduates if industry offers part of those ingredients by offering students an opportunity to gain valuable work experience, an experience they will never be able to experience in the classroom.

The Polytechnic bestowed Ekandjo with the patron seat at the CCE's first breakfast engagement session on November 23. Prof Tjama Tjivikua, Rector of the Polytechnic of Namibia, encouraged the private sector to offer expertise to institutions of higher learning and to serve on the different curriculum advisory councils to ensure that the Polytechnic of Namibia's curricula remain relevant to industry.