Jobs for over 700 Hardap youths

Efforts to combat youth unemployment in the Hardap Region have yielded positive results, with over 700 youths securing employment in the 2022-2023 financial year.

According to Hardap governor Salomon April, the significance of this achievement is underscored by the fact that youth unemployment is regarded as the region’s most pressing challenge.

"The youth, often individuals between the ages of 15 and 35, is undisputedly our asset for the future and, as such, efforts have been made in the region to put a dent in youth unemployment in various sectors."

He added that 117 permanent positions were filled by young people in the directorate of education, arts and culture, while the Mariental municipality also hired 200 youths.

In addition, the Rehoboth town council created 330 job opportunities for young people.

Minimum requirement

"Due to high school dropout rates in the region, most of the young people are not able to meet the minimum job requirement, which is normally a grade 12 certificate," Saima Mathias, Swapo Party Youth League regional secretary for information, publicity and mobilisation, said.

She also highlighted the scarcity of technical schools in the region, with the only one located in Rehoboth.

To address this issue, measures are to be implemented to provide platforms for young people to utilise their technical skills. Mathias suggested that repairing broken chairs in local schools could be an opportunity for youth to contribute meaningfully.

During his state of the region address, April also highlighted the reopening of the Farmer's Meat Market, the largest sheep abattoir in the region, which resumed operations in October last year. This development has provided employment to 110 young people, as the abattoir exports meat to Norway.