TVET graduate inspires through employment creation…mentoring with purpose

**Ester Hakaala **

Th e government, through the Namibia Training Authority (NTA), has established and funds vocational training centres across the country.

The objective is to increase technical skills in the country and produce graduates who are business-oriented. Lately, the call has been loud that Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates should be employers but not jobseekers.

They are therefore encouraged to start businesses for self-employment and employ others.

These institutions also support other broader development goals in the country such as enhancing employability, supporting sustainable development, improving quality of life, and supporting economic growth.

Nicodemus Nicodemus is one of the graduates who heeds the call through entrepreneurship. A graduate of the Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT), Nicodemus established his own electrical, refrigeration and air-conditioning business in April 2013 after gaining work experience in the industry.

After completing his studies in 2010, he ventured into business to become his own boss and “increase black ownership” in the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry.

“I realised that in the country, there were not many black-owned enterprises in refrigeration and air-conditioning. Hence, I started my business to change the status of the industry and become my own boss,” he said.

His company, Nico Electrical Refrigeration and Air Conditioning CC, provides electrical, refrigeration and air-conditioning services countrywide.

Nicodemus said he initially sought employment in October 2010 and left employment to focus on his own business in 2014.

The entrepreneur currently employs three permanent workers who are graduates from TVET institutions. He also accommodates interns and hires additional general workers depending on the workload and location of projects.

He said some of the people he employed or mentored have since established their own businesses.

However, Nicodemus said small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the technical sector continue to face financial challenges, delayed payments from clients and shortages of materials.

He explained that although his suppliers are based in Namibia, certain products were sometimes unavailable locally, forcing businesses to wait for new stock to arrive.

The professional electrician said the cost of purchasing equipment and materials could also prevent small businesses from taking on projects or delivering work to the required standard.

“If you do not have enough finances, you cannot buy the proper equipment, and you cannot deliver quality work,” he said.

He called for financial grants to support SMEs, arguing that assistance would enable businesses to purchase materials, improve service delivery, and contribute to the country’s economic development.

“The businesses, especially the SMEs, need to be boosted with financial grants. That is the future of the country, because if we do not have SMEs, the future of the country is also in trouble,” he said.

Nico, as he is well-known, added that access to funding would help emerging businesses compete in an industry where established companies may have greater financial resources and equipment.

He encouraged fellow TVET graduates to consider entrepreneurship and use their technical skills to create employment opportunities.

“My message to them is that they need discipline, and they must love their trades so that they can deliver quality work,” he said.

He also urged young graduates to seek guidance from experienced professionals rather than being afraid to ask for assistance.

“They must not be shy to go and ask those who have been in the industry for a long time. The world is for everybody, so they must not be afraid of anything,” he said.

Nicodemus said more Namibians should be willing to establish businesses in technical fields to strengthen local participation in the economy and reduce dependence on foreign service providers.

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