By Foibe N Paavo
SWAKOPMUND, May 10 – Erongo’s Career Exhibition 2022, which takes place until Thursday, 12 May got underway at the Mondesa Multipurpose Hall in Swakopmund today.
It includes a wide variety of specific skills-related presentations along with motivational talks and a panel of discussions on a wide range of issues.
The aim is to expose youth to a variety of careers found in the Erongo region. It will not only be about lectures but also a practical exposure to the world of work as well as scholarships, potential leadership or attachment programme opportunities.
Presenting remarks on behalf of Governor Neville Andre, his personal assistant, Michael Jimmy, said that it’s important to honour this exhibition as it is the determinant of the future of the country and region.
Career exhibitions also give students the opportunity to meet and connect with employers face-to-face, and for employers to meet numerous potential candidates in person and get a sense of their personalities or characters and skills that aren’t filtered through a medium, like an email or Skype. Especially with today’s recruitment relying largely on electronic applicant tracking systems. Recruiters will be able to connect strong candidates outside the electronic hiring process.
The governor also urged students not only to take an interest in white-collar jobs but also in blue-collar jobs since the necessary skills help in the development of the industry.
“We urge young people to seriously look at TVET (technical and vocational education and training), especially if we are serious about building our nation and region. We need fitters and turners, electricians, fashion designers, plumbers, chefs, builders, motor mechanics and carpenters.
“We all do not need to be employed, we need to use our skills to create employment,” he stressed.
He also gave an illustration that all jobs are important as they all contribute to the services needed in building the economy.
“What happens then when the doctor’s car breaks down in the middle of the road, who does he need to repair it? When the accountant’s electricity trips, who does she need to fix it? When the plumber is sick, who does he need to go to? When a mechanic is in trouble with the law, who does he see?” he asked.
“We are building a future workforce that responds to the needs of our region.”
This annual career exhibition provides a platform and serves as a guide for students in the Erongo region to carefully pick their future careers with the knowledge and a bit of understanding of what the industry expects of them, its benefits and by creating an awareness of their talents.
“I would like to call on the students and the youth to take full advantage of this Expo in creating networks, identifying a future career path and to further study hard to achieve their dreams,” the governor’s speech concluded. – Namibia Daily News
