Niël Terblanché
The Social Security Commission (SSC) has committed a vital N$200,000 to the Namibia National Internship Programme (NNIP) in an effort to tackle the shortage of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities for students.
The donation is aimed at increasing the programme’s intake, which currently stands at 300 students per year, despite the NNIP’s ambition of accommodating at least 1 600 students annually.
At the handover of the sponsorship, Milka Mungunda, the executive officer of the SSC, expressed her delight at the Commission’s involvement in the programme.
“The SSC is proud to be a part of this partnership which exemplifies national commitment to fostering youth development and employability of graduates,” she said.
Mungunda indicated that the programme aligns with the SSC’s mission of improving the lives of vulnerable Namibians and creating a skilled workforce.
“This initiative will undoubtedly impact the lives of many deserving Namibians and directly address the critical gap in work-integrated learning. With this donation, we are investing in the future of our workforce and future SSC members,” she added.
The NNIP, spearheaded by MTC, has proven to be a dynamic platform for addressing the lack of practical training for Namibian students.
Tim Ekandjo, MTC’s chief human capital, marketing, and corporate affairs officer, applauded SSC’s contribution and urged more companies to come forward and support the initiative.
“Corporate Namibia is understanding that smart partnerships easily yield a shared desired outcome,” Ekandjo said while stressing the importance of collective efforts in addressing national challenges.
The NNIP was launched with an initial intake of 160 students per year, and since its inception, the programme has facilitated the placement of 990 students across various sectors.
With a targeted annual intake of 1 600 students, the programme, however, requires at least N$14 million annually.
Ekandjo said that while SSC’s contribution is a welcome boost, the call for more corporate sponsors to step in and help make this goal a reality will be repeated.
He added that initiatives like the NNIP play a fundamental role in ensuring that young graduates are equipped with the practical experience needed to thrive in today’s competitive job market.
With the donation of N$200 000, the SSC joined a growing list of corporate partners supporting the NNIP, including the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP), Momentum Metropolitan Foundation, Old Mutual, Standard Bank Namibia, and MTC.
According to Ekandjo, such partnerships ensure the sustainability and growth of the NNIP, which was launched in 2019 as a national vehicle to provide valuable internship opportunities and contribute to the development of a knowledge-based economy in Namibia.
