alternative careers€¦ · alternative careers 3 25 february 2016 • rukee kaakunga h e grew up...

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Alternative Careers25 February 2016 2

• NETUMBO NEKOMBA

Vocational training appears to be one of the most underrat-ed fields in the country, with

school-going children hardly aspir-ing to it, but in fact, it plays a crucial role in today’s society. Although it seems to be talked down, it is in fact a field which allows students to ob-tain a number of useful skills includ-ing construction, agriculture and catering which are quite necessary.

CATER TO YOU

Nahota Hospitality Training Academy (Nahota) is one of the many companies in Namibia that offers its services to the public in terms of full-time basic training, on-site training, mobile training as well as catering services. Other than that, the institution trains students in events management and hospi-tality at social events and network-

ing corners. “Regardless of whether you are from the south, north, east or west, we welcome everyone. It is also important to note that 99% of our students are women,” Alex Matukarua, founder of the acade-my said. Starting off from humble beginnings as a telephone operator to becoming a successful business owner, each job enabled Matukarua to pick up the skills of the trade which enhanced his CV. And with the experience he has gained over the years working at a number of jobs, he was able to climb further onto the catering ladder.

The same can be said of the popular lodge Wolwedans Desert Academy (WDA) which offers ap-proved qualifications in hospitality and tourism. Known as one of the most prominent industries in Na-mibia, tourism in fact contributes billions of Namibia dollars to the country’s gross domestic product. With about a million people visiting

Namibia every year, the tourism in-dustry provides a number of career opportunities such as drivers, hotel managers, tour guides and even chefs at a number of lodges.

“WDA is a fully fledged tourism school and is primarily targeting children from rural areas,” own-er and founder of the Wolwedans Foundation, Stephan Brückner, explained in a previous interview. For those who have financial con-straints, vocational training is in-deed an option. Other institutions to consider include the Namibia Institute of Culinary Education (NICE) or the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) Hotel School.

CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER HANDIWORK

Building the perfect home takes months and costs large amounts of money. But once building plans are approved, the men and women re-sponsible for putting brick by brick together are those who are well-versed in the art of bricklaying. The Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Vocational Training School is one of the many centres in the country that caters for those who are interested in bricklaying, among other skills.

Specialising in bricklaying and

plastering, Grade 10 or Grade 12 school leavers are able to learn the technicalities of the profession, al-lowing them to enter the job market easily. After all, with property de-velopment being huge in the coun-try, employment opportunities are available for those who are inter-ested in turning building plans into beautiful properties.

DAPP manager Manuel Tji-munda explained the importance of vocational training. “Vocational training is important because it em-powers the youth. By developing their skills, they can develop the country. There is a need for this type of field.”

Also, the school allows volun-teers to take part in the 12-month development instructor programme which involves five months train-ing, six months project work and a one-month evaluation period.

AGRICULTURE

Other than branching into com-munity development, Tjimunda says that DAPP has just started teaching agriculture. Available at universities as well under the ag-ricultural and natural resources de-

partment, possible career options include farming, food and feeding production or going into animal science or veterinary science.

Areas that specifically cater to this field are the Neudamm and Ogongo agricultural colleges. These colleges provide training in all things agriculture – on a theo-retical and practical basis. Courses include animal science and pasture science, crop science, agricultural engineering and agricultural eco-nomics and extensions. Forestry is also a possible career option at the Ogongo campus at Oshakati where lovers of nature can participate in nature conservation activities for the sake of benefiting the flaura, fauna and the population in the area.

REQUIREMENTS

Basic qualifications are need-ed to pursue these fields of study. A good command of English will assist you if you are interested in these courses, but mainly person-al development skills such as the drive or passion for the field, and in some cases a Grade 10 or 12 certificate.

Vocational training should be an option

JESSICA BROWN

At eighteen, under Namib-ian law you are considered to be an adult. However,

for many the full independence of adulthood is only taken on later in life. The family structure offers a grace period for support, while studying or breaking into the work force, until a young person is bet-ter equipped to manage alone.

In 2012 it was estimated that there are approximately 130 000 orphans in Namibia. Within this group, according to Unicef, Na-mibia’s school repetition and dropout rates are high. The Minis-try of education has emphasised in its Educational Sector Orphan and Vulnerable Children Policy that strengthening the capacity of this section of society is essential for them to become self reliant and self confident later in life.

Anistémi College and Train-ing Centre aligns itself with this thinking and aims to empower the powerless, with emphasis on orphaned and vulnerable chil-dren who come of age without a support structure. The Namibian spoke to Brandon Hammond, the institute director as well as Ste-ven Graham, the chairperson and Sylvia Beukes the co-founder to learn more about their organisa-tion. “ It’s easy for those who have a strong family nucleus to take for granted the security that is provid-ed for them. Many who reach an early exit point from school have

the benefit of taking time to find the right opportunity to enter the workforce without panic or des-peration.”

Anistémi CTC works with or-phaned and vulnerable children- especially those who have been in foster and children’s homes, and provide them with a transition period in which they can further their studies in a supportive and healing environment.

“ The laws and policies that govern residential childcare facil-ities necessitate that a child leave the care of the facility or home at 18 (or in some cases at 21).”

Anistémi is a vocational train-ing centre, which also provides life skills to students who are capable but disadvantaged. The mission of Anistémi CTC is to educate the participant in totality “the hand, the head and the heart” and this is done through extra and co-curricular activities that go be-yond the lessons of the classroom.

“We want to develop indus-trious citizens that are not only well trained but who also have integrity, business acumen and a heart for their fellow man.” The Anistémi management explain: “ Our staff members are expected to participate with the learners in their day-to-day living providing good role modelling, encourage-ment, and gentle correction that peel away the layers of past strug-gles and opens the possibility of positive development of the inner person.”

3Alternative Careers 25 February 2016

• RUKEE KAAKUNGA

HE grew up in a household run by a single mother at Okondjato outside Oka-

karara, living a simple life where lack of luxury was made up for by love and an assurance that one would never go to bed hungry.

Steven Yarukeekuro Ndoroka-ze, who recently buried his father, was born in 1979 and grew up with his mother and siblings, going on to live with his grandmother when he was seven years old.

“When my mother started work as a nurse I went on to stay with my grandmother,” he says of those early years. “I had a very fortunate childhood where we didn’t get all the best clothing, bicycles or went on school tours but we had all the basic things. We had food every day and since our mother involved us in the running of affairs at home, we understood when there was nothing coming in.”

He started his schooling at Good Hope Primary School and continued at Theo Katjimune Pri-mary School and did his Grade 5 and 7 at St Barnabas Primary School. His high school education was completed at A Shipena Sec-ondary School.

DRAWN TO LAW

Despite the direction his ear-ly career years took, Ndorokaze says that his biggest passion had always been law. “As far as I can remember, I always wanted to be a lawyer. In 1990, when I was 11 years old – the year the World

Cup was won by Argentina – my cousin and I would watch the games and dreamt of someday playing football ourselves. That was the only time I ever wanted to do something else,” he says. He would often watch the American legal drama television series ‘Law and Order’, which further sparked his interest in law. “I’d watch that program at ten in the evening but mom didn’t stop me because by then she had realised that was what I wanted,” says Ndorokaze. He credits former permanent pe-titioner to the United Nations on Namibia’s independence, admin-istrator and ombudsman, the late advocate Fanuel Kozonguizi for being a pillar of inspiration during his childhood.

STARTING OUT

As a teenager, Ndorokaze faced several challenges that put him at a disadvantage. “The learning en-vironment at A Shipena was not conducive and did not prepare us for life after school as there was a lack of books and a lack of teachers,” he says, adding that this meant that he was not ready to ap-ply for tertiary education. Despite the challenges in securing a uni-versity enrollment, he ironically landed a job selling educational material. “I had been accept-ed at Unam and Polytecnhic but couldn’t afford to register, not even the N$400 required by Poly at the time.” He enrolled for a diploma in public management. He started working at the national broadcast-er via a skills training programme which saw him become a camera

operator at the institution. His rise to the top at the institution is noth-ing short of impressive. “Two of my colleagues, Frank Prungu and Paulus Petrus influenced me a lot. We played around a lot in the stu-dios, learning new aspects of the broadcast trade,” he recalls of his early years at NBC. This natural curiosity saw him adapting fast to his working environment. He was soon writing his own scripts and working on the production of new shows in addition to being a cam-eraman.

SELF-EDUCATION AND CAREER GROWTH

Ndorokaze produced content for sports shows on NBC TV and soon became producer of political and economic affairs in 2007. By 2008, he obtained his first tertiary qualifications at the Polytechnic of Namibia (now Namibia Uni-versity of Science and Technolo-gy).

His studies were soon put on hold due to commitments at home. Law was never a forgotten passion though, and Ndorokaze enrolled for a B Juris at the Uni-versity of Namibia. This was soon followed by an LLB. In 2010, one of his career breakthroughs came with the launch of the ‘Business Today’ show. In 2013, this dili-gent student and journalist took up the position of NBS legal adviser. He admits that he was somehow intimidated by this new role but his determination to succeed was obviously stronger and soon enough, another high profile position, that of company

secretary, was added to his port-folio. Ndorokaze is still pursuing his studies and is on job attach-ment with a local law firm where he needs to complete 600 hours before he is ready to practise as a lawyer.

LESSONS LEARNED

Ndorokaze advises aspirant media practitioners to view the impact of new media on con-ventional journalism as an opportunity and not as a threat. “Social me-dia opens up oppor-tunities in that you can practise it in your own space but it exposes you to not adhering to set standards,” he says. He warns that

best practice and ethics should always be followed and empha-sises the importance of accuracy and being factual at all times. “Being factual can never be overemphasised and make sure that you checkfact even your trusted sources.”

For those like him who have a greater love for law, Ndorokaze stresses the need to always read and stay informed. “Advice I re-ceived once was that you should never be eager to give advice un-

less you’re sure of it. Find out what the law says,

and above all, con-sult as much as you can,” His final words: “Read, consult and always find the law and remember :

There are no shortcuts in law.”

From cameraman to legal adviserLessons from NBC top achiever Steven Yarukeekuro Ndorokaze

HARDWORKING ... Steven Yarukeekuro Ndorokaze is the per-fect example of the extent to which one’s career can grow with hard work and the correct dose of ambition.

Negotiating the job market:

advice from recruitment specialists

“DON’T wear red to a first interview.” This is the surprising advice that we were given by Yvonne le Roux, the founder of award-winning employment consultancy, Elite Employment. “Overly bright colours or busy patterns detract from you as a per-son and what you have to say”, she adds.

Useful as they are, handy interview tips, and CV improvement advice is far from all that Elite Employment offers.

“ Employing the right staff is critical to the success of any company” Le Roux tells us, “and that’s what we’re good at.” As re-cruitment specialists, Elite deals with can-didates, vacancies, screening interviews, background checks and personality assess-ments. They have an extensive database of clients and make sure they fill positions with the best candidate for the role. It’s a win-win for both the individual looking for work and the companies filling vacancies.

MAKE AN IMPRESSION IN A MINUTE

When applying for jobs, first impressions count.

“We screen a lot of applications, and often

spend less than a minute initially scrutinis-ing a CV.” Le Roux explains, “If you don’t put in any effort into it and it is generally sloppy, don’t expect a call for a meeting.”

Common CV mistakes are easily avoid-ed with a bit of care and attention. Taking on board a few crucial tips can ensure you make the right impression within just a few seconds.

Personalise the application letter. Phone the company which you are applying at and find out who the recipient of the CV will be. Dear Mrs Smith sounds much better than ‘HR Department’ or ‘To whom it may concern’.Keep it short and concise. Think about what your unique selling points are in terms of qualifications, skills, strengths and experience and ensure that you focus on these and provide only relevant infor-mation. Make sure your formatting is clean and easy to read. Avoid long sentences. Choose a professional font and use head-ings to clearly guide the reader through. Don’t add word art, floral borders, pic-tures or other distractions.Use action words when referring to past

work. Words like developed, planned and organised make you sound like an active achiever! Tailor-make your CV for each position. Put emphasis on the skills and qualifica-tions that the specific job requires.Don’t focus only on previous work expe-rience or academic qualifications - your hobbies and interests and other skills like languages may make you a more appeal-ing candidate.

During an interview, once again, impres-sion is vital and a lot can be deduced from an honest conversation...

MAKING YOUR INTERVIEW WORK

Avoid bright colours and loud prints. Be neat and clean, including your hair and nails. Know where the venue is and arrive 10-15 minutes early so that you have time to compose yourself. Turn off your cellphone. Be polite and friendly to all you come in contact with. Greet your interviewer with a smile and a firm handshake and if pos-sible, by name. Don’t use slang or vulgar language.

Do your research. Before your interview, read up about the company, and the po-sition, and don’t be hesitant to ask ques-tions. Avoid cliché answers. Take time to di-gest the questions you are asked and re-ply with a genuine response. End your interview with a handshake and thank the interviewer(s) for their time.

Yvonne le Roux, who has a marketing and sales background as well as a gener-alist HR and recruitment specialist quali-fication, concludes “After you finish your studies it is of utmost importance to obtain experience. Attitude, behaviour, drive and potential to succeed have always stood out for me. The rest can be acquired.”

For more tips and advice, visit the Elite Employment website. Elite Employment has been in operation since 2005.

Elite Employment’s Yvonne Le Roux and Lucille Links.


Thousands of teachers upgrade their qualifications• JESSICA BROWN

Against the backdrop of an alarming shortage of qual-ified teachers in Namibia,

the Business School of Excellence’s educational upgrade programme is in huge demand.

In November 2015, education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa highlighted the problems that the ministry is facing in terms of find-ing qualified teachers and filling positions, especially in the rural ar-eas. Just this month the government announced that it needs 3 255 more classrooms, which will also require the teachers to fill them.

Most Namibian teachers, espe-cially those in rural areas, have a Basic Education Teachers Diploma (BETD), a three-year qualification that covers the bare essentials of teaching Grades 1-10.

While teacher shortages and high

levels of underqualification are a national problem, thousands of teachers already in the classrooms have made the commendable choice to up skill themselves through dis-tance learning.

The Business School of Excel-lence (BSE) is a local centre which administers distance courses in teaching and education from South Africa’s acclaimed North-West University (formally Potchefst-room). One thousand seven hun-dred and sixty-six teachers have al-ready graduated through BSE since it started administering NWU’s distance programme in 2012, and a further 3 000 are currently in the pipeline. Teachers who already have the basic degree can improve their own level of education with the Advanced Certificate in Teach-ing, the Advanced Diploma in Edu-cation and finally the Post Graduate Diploma in education.

“The feedback has been incred-ible”, chief operating officer at BSE, Helga Busing-Volschenk tells us. “The teachers are really hungry for it, and I take my hat off for them, studying themselves and teaching and marking, often in rural areas where study condi-tions are not easy.” In addition to the wide-reaching social benefits, these teachers who partake in these courses also have a financial in-centive to improve their education, as their salary scales are linked to their qualifications.

When a student registers with BSE they receive a comprehen-sive study pack which has all the relevant study materials, includ-ing textbooks, which can other-wise be hard to source in rural areas. Regular contact sessions are held for the students, putting them in touch, through confer-encing software, with their lec-

turers in South Africa and fellow classmates. “These contact ses-sions have a fantastic attendance,” Busing-Volschenk says, and are hugely beneficial for the students who are able to interact with their counterparts in similar working conditions with similar questions or concerns. There are centres in Windhoek and at Ongwediva, Rundu, Katima Mulilo and Walvis

Bay, which are all interlinked. The commitment and enthusiasm of these teachers who have full-time work as well as families command great respect. “I believe it shows the real progress of a nation,” Bus-ing-Volschenk says, adding, “and shows how much Namibians value education.”

The Business School of Excel-lence is NQA accredited.


Bay, which are all interlinked. The commitment and enthusiasm of these teachers who have full-time work as well as families command great respect. “I believe it shows the real progress of a nation,” Bus-ing-Volschenk says, adding, “and shows how much Namibians value education.”

The Business School of Excel-lence is NQA accredited.


EVERY five years an extensive survey is conducted across the length and breadth of Namibia to establish the

income and spending patterns of the popula-tion.

Carried out by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), the National Household In-come and Expenditure Survey’s purpose is to gain a thorough understanding of trends in the country which can be used to monitor development goals, highlight areas in need of poverty reduction and wealth distribution and to produce informed policies and practices.

These types of surveys require a huge amount of organisation and planning. The Namibian spoke to NSA senior statistician in survey and field operations Hift Simaata to gain a deeper understanding of his role in the process and the organisation. “For me one of

the best things about working at the statistics agency is being able to work with wonderful young people from different backgrounds,” he says.

In order to survey the population a large number of interviewers need to be trained up, and a large part of his job is to train and mon-itor the field workers. The role also requires a substantial amount of logistical coordination, due to the scale of the survey. Simataa plans and manages the field operations, but he also played a role in the creation of questionnaires regarding the planning of methodology and procedures of data collection in the field. Data quality is essential when conducting a census to ensure accurate results, and Si-mataa monitors this closely making sure that the surveys conducted are “in line with inter-national standards.”

As a school leaver Simataa was not aware of statisticians or that this was a career that he

could pursue. He studied economics at the Namibia University of Science and Tech-nology with a focus on logistics. However, he did not have the position of a statistician in mind.

Many schoolchildren have limited knowl-edge of the vast variety of jobs out there and therefore focus on just the few that they have heard of, only learning about their options once they are in the job market. “Statistics was a big part of my degree, and I’ve come to enjoy working as a statistician” says Simataa. “Statisticians contribute to society in many ways and help to satisfy curiosity. There are opportunities for growth in this position as I am responsi-ble for the logistics and administration of the field work,” he says. This is in line with his long-term goals of working as a transport and logistics economist.

“One of the best things about my position

is that I feel I am able to update the entire na-tion on the progress made towards achieving the National Development Plans and Vision 2030,” Simataa concludes.

The face behind Namibia’s household statistics

CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIETY ... Hift Si-maata, statistician at Namibia Statistics Agency.

Photo: National Statistics Agency

Founded in 2004, dB Audio has become a one-stop shop for the technical management of

live event productions. We employ 43 full-time staff, and have become the country’s biggest

communications partner for corporate and public institutions, as well as entertainment organisers.

Our team is made up of technical assistants, technicians and engineers. It requires a very

specific level of education and/or experience to be able to call yourself an engineer. Whether Engineers or Technicians, there is a tremendous amount of planning involved in any

production. There is the scientific, engineering component of determining which equipment to use based on the venue, type of event and audience size, and then tailoring this to meet the clients’

needs and budgets – all the while adhering to Health & Safety standards. Equipment needs to be

prepped, set up, dismantled and maintained as part of each job.

The short answer to this question would be – job satisfaction based on passion for the live events

industry! Adrenalin is also a huge pay-off. Nothing beats those anxious moments of anticipation before an event starts or the euphoria when the final applause ends.We often encounter a perception that ours is a glamorous profession because people only see the

final product. They see us behind mixing desks pushing buttons and interacting with celebrities. They do not realise all the hard work – physical, mental-and creative that goes into any production.As with many creative careers, the work hours are often gruelling and remuneration not necessarily commensurate with the expertise of the job.But if one performs sufficiently at international level, there is the possibility of working for international companies and travelling the world and working with big artists on big projects…

We do not have training institutions specific for our industry in Namibia. Even in South Africa, the closest qualification you can obtain are in related fields, and not specific to Live Events.

There is a tremendous difference between studio work, which is what most of the audio colleges in SA teach, and the principles and demands of live events. Locally, the College for the Arts (COTA) presents some training, which can tie in with what we do through their Media, Arts & Technology

Science (MATS) programme, but the best training is actual experience. Youngsters who learn how to do sound at their church are far more likely to transition into our line of work. Passion supersedes talent. If anyone really wants to work in live events, they will find a way to make it happen regardless of formal training. Should they then get into an organization such as dB Audio,

our internal training programmes and on-the-job training based on peer education – coupled with

self-study – will stimulate and develop them sufficiently. Of our 43-fulltime staff, only 35% have a senior secondary school certificate, 50% have no senior secondary school certificate while 15% have tertiary qualifications. Most staff members have obtained some form of formal qualification whilst in dB Audio’s employ.

Different types of events have their own challenges and rewards. On the conference front we are proud of our support to the United Nations for the COP11 conference in 2014 and the recent

Intangible Cultures conference for UNESCO. On the entertainment side, we have been privileged enough to be involved with several NAMA award shows and City of Windhoek Jazz Festivals, which are quite exciting events. The recent Boyz II Men- and P-square concerts, and Joyce Meyer’s ‘Festival of Life’ crusade, also jump out as highlights for the team.

“Capacity Building is at the forefront of our operations”

19 Reger Street | Southern IndustrialWindhoek | Namibia

Tel. +264 (0)61 244944Fax. +264 (0)61 244933

Email: [email protected]

dB Audio, can you tell us a bit about yourself and what

your company offers?

What day-to-day tasks do your team find themselves

working on?

What are the benefits of getting into this

profession?

What qualifications do young people need if they

are interested?

You’ve worked on numerous high profile

events, which have really stood out for you?

Getting to Know

and their progressive approach to

investing in their staff


Against all odds, he always aspired to be an en-trepreneur and Jacob Irungu had stopped at anything to do just that. This is an inspiring

story of a young man who never let his disability de-ter him from achieving his business ambitions.

BUSINESS PROFILE

Owned and managed by Irungu, Jacob Weed Cut-ting Master CC is a landscaping company that spe-cializes in gardening and landscaping, tree cutting and tree felling, de-bushing and site clearing, weed cutting, weed control and crop production as Phase 2.

The business target market includes low to mid-dle-income earners, schools, business premises, home owners; forestry control, bush clearing and oth-er related establishments.

Jacob Irungu is the proponent of the popular saying “disability does not mean inability” This is evidenced by the fact that even though he is physically disabled, that has never deter him from aspiring to become a well-established businessman. He has started his business from scratch and continued to build it step by step to where it is today.

In order to advance his business skills, Jacob en-rolled for small business training conducted by the Centre of Enterprise Development at the Namibia University of Science and Technology, which was sponsored by the National Disability Council of Na-mibia. The course includes amongst others training in marketing management, practical financials, gen-eral business management, the tendering process and procedures, and business plan writing skills. This, according to Jacob, was an eye-opener because he couldn’t understand most of the business concepts prior to attending this training.

In addition, due to his consistent desire to improve his business and with the support of the Centre for Enterprise Development, upon completion of the training, Jacob was selected to be one of the benefi-ciaries to receive various equipment and machinery from Ohorongo Cement. They also linked him to a well-established landscaping guru by the name of Louis Wessels from whom he has learned a lot espe-cially in how to do proper landscaping that has im-proved his business prospects.

Jacob Weed Cutting Master CCContractor: Jacob Aizemi Irungu

Physical Address: ERF 1878, Clemence Kapuuo Street, Katutura

Email: [email protected]

Centre for Enterprise Development

An art to train, a lifetime to gain.www.ced.nust.na

CEDCENTRE FOR ENTERPRISE

DEVELOPMENT

Terms and conditions apply.For more information about training outcomes, terms and conditions or to register for the courses, please visit CED’s website.

Contact PersonMr Edwin Kavihuha, T: +264 61 207 2439, F: +264 61 207 9038, E: [email protected]

The course will be offered if we have a minimum of 10 participants per programme. The full payment is required before the programme starts.

Course name Duration Time Registration fee

Become a Successful Entrepreneur 7 March – 31 March 2016 (Evening classes)

17h30 – 20h00 (Course conducted 2x a week, total duration 20 hours)

N$ 3 500

Tender Process and Procedures 7 March- 10 March 2016 (Morning classes)

08h00 – 13h00(Total duration 20 hours) N$ 3 500

Financial Management: Costing and Pricing

4 April 2016 – 26 April 2016 (Evening classes)

17h30 – 20h00(Course conducted 2x a week, total duration 20 hours)

N$ 3 500

Become a Successful Entrepreneur 11 April- 14 April 2016(Morning classes)


Financial Management: Understanding Financial Statements

9 May 2016 – 31 May 2016 (Evening classes)


N$ 3 500

Marketing Management 9 May 2016 – 12 May 2016 (Morning classes)


Marketing Management 6 June 2016 – 28 June 2016 (Evening classes)


NS 3 500

How to Write a Successful Business Plan

6 June 2016 – 9 June 2016(Morning classes)


Register for any 3 courses and only pay N$ 9 000. Offer valid until end of March 2016. Hurry seats are limited!!!! Get in touch with our office if you want to have the courses in any of the regions of Namibia. Arrangement upon request. Registration fee can be paid at the NUST Cashier or in the following bank account.

SME Development Courses 2016

Account Name: Polytechnic of Namibia-CED Account, Account Number: 62241609257, Branch Code: 281872, Branch Name: Windhoek Corporate Suite, Swift Code: FIRNNANAX, Reference: 4579/5215

Please e-mail proof of payment to [email protected]

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IOL is proud to inform you that it is registered with the National Coun-cil for Higher Education (NCHE)

and the Namibian Training Author-ity (NTA) and are accredited by the Namibian Qualifications Authority (NQA).

One of the advantages of studying through a distance educational institute is that you can register for any course at any given time. Thus, registration takes place throughout the year. However, it is important to note that:

-lows students to submit assignments on 15 January and write their first examinations in April/May (during the school holidays) of the preceding year.

students to submit assignments on 15 June and write their first exam-ination in August/September (during the school holidays) of the same year. Supplementary examinations will only be written if a medical certifi-cate is provided or a student obtains a 45-49% mark in the examination.

As the largest distance education in-stitution in Namibia, one of our main objectives is to provide our students with service excellence in student sup-port and beyond.

All education qualifications are ac-companied by an electronic book, giv-ing students access to study guides, assignments and prescribed textbooks.

Students can also make use of the student portals - from which they can access study resources, from past pa-pers to tutor lists, syllabuses to study guides. The student portals also give students online, easy access to their

profiles, webmail, academic results, ex-amination and contact class time tables and financial statements.

IOL has seven (7) regional offices but to reach students in the far rural areas, IOL has a mobile office. The schedule for these visits can be found in the In-formanté newspaper on the IOL web-site and on the IOL Facebook page.

Frequent contact classes and va-cation schools take place in all seven regions and are hosted on Saturdays, taking into account the students who work during the week. These classes are assignment and examination based

and focus is put on subjects where students struggle to perform. Contact class timetables are published in

the Informanté newspaper. Further, you can contact tutors over the phone between 18h00 and 20h00 every eve-ning should students have follow-up questions or concerns. Regional coor-dinators are also available to assist stu-dents in the regions.

We also offer the extra students ser-vices that you would expect to find at a campus university, such as student counselling, induction sessions, a stu-dent representative council, student support libraries as well as access to free photocopying, faxing and Wi-Fi in all the regional offices. All courses are accompanied by a free English gram-mar course, which aids in the writing of assignments.

Our grade 12 students who wish to upgrade their results can still register until 11 March 2016. We would en-courage that early registration be done as we have limited space available.

We are delighted to announce that we will soon be opening an information centre at Gobabis.

Institute of Open Learning Graduation Ceremony

Why IOL is your partner in Education

...Cutting and trimming his way up

Amended and Final Draft for the Namibian Career Publication -‐ Editorial Why IOL, as your partner in Education IOL is proud to inform you that it is registered with the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and the Namibian Training Authority (NTA) and are accredited by the Namibian Qualifications Authority (NQA). One of the advantages of studying through a distance educational institute is that you can register for any course at any given time. Thus, registration takes place throughout the year. However, it is important to note that:

• Enrolment before 15 November allows students to submit assignments on 15 January and write their first examinations in April/May (during the school holidays) of the proceeding year.

• Enrolement before 15 April allows students to submit assignments on 15 June and write their first examination in August/September (during the school holidays) of the same year. Supplementary examinations will only be written if a medical certificate is provided or a student obtains a 45-‐49% mark in the examination.

SEMESTER

(Registration) ASSIGNMENT DUE

DATES EXAMINATIONS

First Semester Register before 15

November 15 January April / May (in the

school holidays)

Second Semester Register before 15

April 15 June

August / September (in the school holidays)

Supplementary Examination Not Applicable November /

December

As the largest distance Education Institution in Namibia, one of our main objectives is to provide our students with service excellent in student support and beyond. All Education qualifications are accompanied by an electronic book, giving students access to study guides, assignments and prescribed textbooks. Students can also make use of the student portals -‐ from which they can access study resources, from past papers to tutor lists, syllabuses to study guides.

CED grooming future entrepreneurs


DO you work hard, but still fail to see the results on your report card or on your

tests? Are you putting in the hours, but still struggling to make informa-tion stick? Or are you someone who avoids the dreaded study session as much as possible?

Fear not! The Namibian spoke to an educational psychologist who gave tips on how to study smarter not just harder.

According to Jürgen Hoffmann, students need to understand how best they learn, and should adapt their studying to suit them.

As an educational psychologist, Hoffmann’s job is to assess areas where his patients may be hav-ing difficulties with their ability to learn. He, and others of his profes-sion, then provide techniques and skills to overcome these learning challenges.

It is important, says Hoffmann, to establish what kind of learner you are, whether this be aural, visual, kinaesthetic, or a combination.

Aural learners are better at taking in information that they have heard, so they would do well in a lecture environment, while visual learners would prefer a presentation that fea-tures a lot of diagrams, pictures and colours. Those who are kinaesthetic learners thrive on physical interac-tion with their lessons.

You may be sitting diligently for hours on end writing out notes and wondering why at the end of a session you feel none the wiser. It could be that your learning type is more visual or aural. Try different methods and see what works best for you.

STUDY TO SUIT YOUR LEARNING STYLE

Visual: incorporate pictures and diagrams into your studies wherev-er you can. Demonstrate ideas and concepts with mental maps and charts. Use colours in your notes. Wherever possible, make use of on-line resources. There are detailed, interactive and free explanatory videos and diagrams for all levels of education just a Google away.

Aural: Make sure you go to class! Especially in the less formal university environment, skipping classes can become an easy habit to get into. If you’re an aural learner, you will get much more from being present in a lecture than if you try to catch up yourself by just reading the material. Try recording lectures to listen back to later. Speaking out loud while you read or work on an assignment may help your informa-tion sink in better.

Kinaesthetic: If you’re a kinaes-thetic learner, the standard school or

college structure might be ill suited to you, but wherever possible try and find a way to physically engage with your work. Using flash cards can help, as can keeping your hands busy while working. Try listening to lessons while going for a run or at the gym. Podcasts and online les-sons are a great resource that can be downloaded for free. Working with a study group may also help to make the material more interactive.

AVOID THE PANIC

A common mistake, according to Hoffmann, is last-minute cramming. “There are processes to internaliz-ing information, says Hoffmann, “and an essential part of this is mak-ing information stick in your long-term memory.” It is better, he says, to do four separate study sessions of one hour than one that is four hours long. “Repetition is key.”

When a student is studying in a last-minute panicked style, informa-tion is only stored in the short-term memory. Short-term memory has a limited lifespan and also has a lim-ited capacity of information that can be held. Hoffmann adds that cram-ming also leads to anxiety, which combined with the nature of short term memory leads to “drawing a blank” when it is time to reproduce the information.

At times your last minute revi-sion for a test or assignment might get you through, but problems arise later on. When information is only stored in the short-term memory, it wont be engrained for later use. You will not be able to build on what you already know. This makes end of year exams a much more daunting prospect, as material from the year will have to be re-learned, rather than simply reviewed.

DEALING WITH INGRAINED LEARNING BARRIERS

In instances where learning bar-riers are congenital, for example dyslexia or limited reading rate, the solution comes down to policy. Hoffmann emphasises the need to introduce regulations into schools and universities that allow extra time and special conditions for stu-dents with these needs. By giving a student who is a slow reader an extra 15 minutes in a test, their disadvan-tage is neutralised and anxiety is re-moved. Hoffmann praised the edu-cation ministry for their willingness to take these regulations on board.

Students should not be reluctant to express difficulties they are hav-ing as this is the first step to receiv-ing help.

If you feel you are struggling with learning barriers you may benefit from the tailor-made help of an edu-cational psychologist.

Overcoming learning barriers

Students should not be

reluctant to express

difficulties they are having as

this is the first step to

receiving help.Dr Jürgen Hoffmann, Educational Psychologist based in Windhoek

• NDAPEWOSHALI SHAPWANALE

Unemployment amongst graduates is not foreign in Namibia and against

this background some institu-tions have made it a point to use the human capital they invest in through bursaries.

Yearly, several students be-come beneficiaries of full bursa-ries from corporate companies as well as other entities. Just recent-ly, the Bank of Namibia award-ed bursaries to eight students to study inside and outside the country.

Deputy governor of the Bank of Namibia Ebson Uangetta says that the bank’s bursaries are awarded to hardworking and deserving young students from disadvantaged backgrounds who would otherwise not have been able to afford tertiary education.

Although the bursaries largely include fields relevant to the op-erations as well as the functions of banking, the reserve bank bur-saries are not limited to the needs of the bank only.

Standard Bank Namibia last year introduced a graduate train-ing programme where they invit-ed interested graduates to enroll. The programme is designed to give a solid foundation to and un-derstanding within the bank.

In-house training of graduates is common in a number compa-nies.

Public relations and corpo-rate communications manager at Standard Bank Namibia Surihe Gaomas-Guchu said their bursary scheme allows their beneficiaries to not only get in-house practical training, but also employment opportunities.

“We encourage our bursary beneficiaries to stay with us and work with us. It sometimes hap-pens that the beneficiary leaves for other options, but we highly encourage them to stay,” Gao-mas-Guchu says.

Allowing and encouraging the graduates to work for them not only secures employment, but also allows the entity to benefit from the investment they made in human capital. Standard Bank

Namibia and Bank of Namibia advise interested students to ap-ply while still in their final year of secondary school as the en-tities take in beneficiaries from their first year of tertiary educa-tion.

For telecommunications com-pany MTC, to apply for a bursary, those interested should already be enrolled in their preferred field of study.

Corporate communications prac-titioner at MTC John Ekongo said they take students who are already enrolled in the programmes be-cause it makes it easier for them to assess the student’s academic record. He added that in select-ing candidates, they assess the students’ drive and consider their neediness.

MTC too has a programme where beneficiaries of their bur-saries go on in-house training and upon satisfactory completion, they may be offered employment.

“We take care of every financial need the student may have. Our aim is to give the student stress free studying opportunities, not having to worry about anything,” Ekongo said.

The call for MTC bursaries are put out in line with what the com-pany is doing.

“We ask the different depart-ments in our company if they need human capital and based on what a department needs, we put a call out to offer bursaries for that field of study.

The call for beneficiaries is usually put out in the newspapers and when selecting the candi-dates we look at students’ pro-files,” Ekongo added.

TIPS ON HOW NOT TO MISS THE BURSARY AND

SCHOLARSHIP CALL OUTS.

Read the newspapers. Compa-nies always do call out for bur-saries in newspapersHave your documents ready at all times and apply well in ad-vance of the closing date.Strive to do very well in your Grade 12 as your final year re-sults are very important when applying for an undergraduate programme.

WHO IS OFFERING WHAT?

Bank of Namibia offers bursa-ries in the fields of economics, banking and finance, account-ing, chartered accountancy, fo-rensic accounting, information technology as well as education in the field of mathematics, and science. To apply, you need to be a Namibian citizen, successfully completed Grade 12 or current-ly in Grade 12 with an average C-symbol or better in the latest August results.

The Social Security Com-mission Development Fund of-fers bursaries to academically deserving Namibians from so-cio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds who are unem-ployed. Interested parties must have a Grade 12 certificate or equivalent qualification with at least 27 points in the grade 12 fi-nal exam or an aggregate of 70% in the August exams. For stu-dents who are already enrolled, an average of 65% in tertiary studies is needed. Only children of parent(s) whose combined income does not exceed N$150 000 per annum may be consid-ered. Fields of study should in-clude: social work, agriculture, medical related fields, engineer-ing and artisian-related fields.

The Law Society of Namib-ia with the assistance of the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund and the Namibian Legal Practitioners’ Trust, offers bur-saries for studies at a suitable institution for a law degree rec-ognised in Namibia. They need proof of university admission, Namibian citizenship, a certi-fied copy of Grade 12 certifi-cate or mid-year examination results. These are just a few of the many bursary schemes available in the country, Nam-deb, Ohlthaver & List, BDO, Telecom Namibia and Namfisa also offer bursaries.

It is always advisable to try and apply at an institution that is in line with the field in which a student want to study as that may provide a platform for training and even employment after completing your studies.

REWARDS ... Standard Bank supports education through the Academic Excellence Programme. Standard Bank’s company secretary and CSI custodian Sigrid Tjijorokisa (second from left) con-gratulates one of the pupils.


JESSICA BROWN

In an increasingly global world the de-mand for speedy service is booming. Namibia’s internet use is on the rise and

as more business sales take place online, the need for rapid response on the ground and the management of logistics is high.

Logistics is much more than just the mov-ing of boxes. Supply chain management be-tween buyer, producer and supplier is all tak-en into account. It is equally relevant in the service industry too, where time, personnel and information needs to be efficiently man-aged.

Logistics management is a fairly new area of study and one that is comparatively un-known considering the vast scope of its use.

Moving with the times, the Business School of Excellence is offering a wide range of courses in logistics and supply chain man-agement, from NQF level 2 all the way up to NQF level 7. BSE’s chief operating of-ficer Helga Busing-Volschenk emphasises

that, “we can take a person from a Grade 10 qualification all the way to an undergraduate degree.” These courses, Busing-Volschenk explains, are perfect for anyone who has got to a point in their life where they feel that they have become stagnant, for there are huge op-portunities for growth both within the school and in the business of logistics.

BSE is creating new career pathways and exposing their students to new and exciting areas of work. With logistics qualifications the fields that the graduates can go into are wide reaching, from analysis to transporta-tion management and operations manage-ment to further qualifications in international business. The courses are mostly for students who are already working, although not nec-essarily in logistics related jobs. This can be a real advantage Busing-Volschenk emphasis-es, as it allows for immediate practical appli-cations of information learned in the courses. The opportunity to advance in studies has proven to be a great motivator, especially for distance students who have to rely on their

own momentum to complete modules. BSE can also tailor-make training courses

for corporates and internal training. As an accredited NTA organization the vocation-al education and training (VET) levy that companies pay can be reclaimed on courses completed through the Business School of Excellence. At present 30 participants, some individual people who own their own small transport companies as well as students from the Namibia Transporters Association are un-dergoing a course focused on improving man-agement of their companies, with training in transport management, freight handling, on the job safety and budgeting. Sponsored by the Finnish embassy, these business people will be able to apply what they’ve learned in this 25-day course to their day-to-day practic-es and see rapid results.

For more information, visit the Business School of Excellence’s website: www.bse.com.na The Business School of Excellence is a fully NQA accredited institution and an NTA registered training provider.

Chief operating officer at BSE, Helga Busing-Volschenk

Logistics management is a fairly new area of study and one that is comparatively unknown considering the vast scope of its use.

PATHWAYCAREER CHOICETHE SPECIALIST

TIME FOR A CHANGE?For our esteemed clients, we are always on the look out for talented candidates in the following fields:

Financial Managers Creditors Clerks Staff for the Freight Forwarding IndustryHR (Middle management)Internal and External AuditorsLong term and short term insurance personnelSales Representatives of all levelsSales ManagersSales Engineers with Technical Background Workshop Managers with Diesel or Petrol qualif.

Apply now and send your CV to

[email protected]

Tel: 061-234151

We will contact you for a registration interview if you are short-listed!

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alternative careers€¦ · alternative careers 3 25 february 2016 • rukee kaakunga h e grew up...

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