Rundu recently hosted the first-ever National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Fair to promote TVET among out-of-school youth.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Kavango East Governor Julius Hambyuka highlighted the importance of vocational education and the role it plays in the advancement of society.

"TVET equips our young people with practical, hands-on skills and an entrepreneurial mindset to innovate, create, and lead. With TVET, learners gain the technical competencies and business acumen needed to build new industries and uplift our communities. By instilling these skills, TVET prepares Namibians to be not just job seekers but job creators."

The fair is sponsored by financial services company Metropolitan, which saw the need to encourage out-of-school youth and those who've completed tertiary education but still sit at home hoping for work. 

"I am here to encourage everybody to continue studying, continue doing something so that you can be able to employ somebody. You can be a dropout, but you are not doing anything, and yet you can build something. You can work with your hands. You can become a carpenter," said Magret Shapwa from Metropolitan.

Chairperson of the National TVET Fair, Karen Janecki, acknowledged the government and other stakeholders for the support received in making the event a success.

"The main objective of this event is to make sure that we transform the mindset of Namibian citizens towards TVET. Previously, it was regarded as a field of low-performing learners, and now we realise that this is the only hope for giving jobs, as we are facing a high rate of unemployment in the country."

The fair targets youth in all the country's 14 regions.