Every year, thousands of young Namibians graduate full of hope, yet many end up in long queues of unemployment.
These graduates face a lack of opportunities and experience, leading to mental health concerns due to prolonged joblessness.
Organisations complain they cannot find the 'right talent', so where is the disconnect? The future belongs to the youth, yet the gap between their potential and workplace opportunities grows daily. Youth unemployment should not only be a social concern for governments to fix, but a strategic human resources (HR) challenge too. We, as HR professionals, are uniquely positioned to solve it; we are the architects of opportunity, not just the administrators of employment.
Look at almost any job advert and you will see the requirement: "Minimum three years' experience." Our hiring standards often exclude the very young graduates we claim to empower. Many young people face barriers such as skills mismatch and ineffective school-to-work transitions. Every experienced employee was once given their first break by someone who saw their potential.
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Why have we built systems that now prize experience over potential? With this mindset, we risk losing an entire generation of talent to frustration. Young people are more than a labour market statistic; they are a reservoir of innovation, creativity and potential.
HR must not view youth employment as a social responsibility issue but treat it as a strategic business advantage. Hire for potential and you will unlock innovation that experience alone cannot guarantee.
Namibia's youth are the country's transformation engine. They are quick learners, digital natives and adaptable, often mirroring emerging customer expectations.
Hiring young people does not only inject fresh energy but accelerates innovation and builds future-ready organisations. Offering decent work and youth inclusion helps organisations build their talent pipeline.
Giving young people a fair start allows you to build a skilled workforce who understand your culture and customers. Youth inclusion is not charity; it is smart HR.
We do not require massive budgets or complex policies to create decent work for young people; it requires a mindset shift in how we think and act as HR leaders. We can prove we are strategic partners in the lives we touch by adopting a few practical, business-friendly ideas.
Instead of rigid job specifications, use skills-based recruitment to hire for potential, curiosity and problem solving. Create entry-level programmes and build youth pipelines through structured graduate and apprenticeship schemes that lead to permanent opportunities.
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Furthermore, develop learning ecosystems by pairing young hires with experienced mentors, rethink job design to offer flexible, project-based roles, and collaborate with universities and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) centres on job-readiness initiatives.
HR must move from compliance-focused practices to purpose-driven strategies that cultivate youth inclusion. In a country facing 36.1% youth unemployment, HR has the power to turn this crisis into a story of opportunity.
Let us commit to opening doors. The future of decent work in Namibia depends on what HR does today.
HR, let us not be gatekeepers.
Hire for hope and become a signpost for the next generation.
- Fiina Shimaneni-Vatuva and Elias Kandjinga
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian's morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours - occasionally with a light, witty touch. It's an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
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