MTC calls on Institutions to empower youth
MTC Namibia commits N$2 million annually to the Namibia National Internship Programme, an initiative created to provide opportunities for tertiary students to acquire work experience through paid internship placements. Through the Namibia National Internship Programme (NNIP), MTC is once again calling on Namibian Institutions to actively partner in creating opportunities that move young people from qualification to participation in the economy. Launched in 2019 as a national intervention aimed at addressing the barriers graduates face when entering the workforce, the Namibia National Internship Programme was designed to create paid internship opportunities that provide practical work exposure, mentorship, and industry experience for tertiary students and graduates across Namibia.
What began as an MTC initiative has since evolved into a collaborative national programme bringing together public institutions, universities, vocational training centres, and private sector partners under one shared objective: preparing young Namibians for the world of work. To date, the initiative has supported hundreds of students from institutions such as the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), University of Namibia (UNAM), International University of Management (IUM), Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT), and institutions affiliated with the Namibia Training Authority (NTA), across more than 40 disciplines including but not limited to geology, welding, logistics and supply chain, automotive mechatronics, environmental health science, and animal health science.
In 2025 alone, 332 interns were placed through the programme. Of these, NUST accounted for 104 students, UNAM 86 students, NIMT 65 students, IUM 39 students, and NTA-affiliated institutions 38 students. The interns receive monthly stipends of N$3 000 for three-month placements and N$1 500 for six-month placements, enabling many young people to cover transport, meals, and other basic living costs while gaining invaluable workplace exposure. The programme now aims to create 1,600 internship opportunities and raise N$14 million in contributions to expand placements across both public and private sector institutions. Over the years, MTC has continued to invest in initiatives focused on education, skills development, entrepreneurship, and youth empowerment, recognising that sustainable economic growth depends heavily on creating opportunities for young people to meaningfully participate in the economy.
Speaking on the importance of the initiative, Tim Ekandjo, Chief Brand, Marketing, Communications,
and Sustainability Officer, expressed how youth unemployment remains one of the most urgent socio-
economic challenges facing the country today. “Through the Namibia National Internship Programme, we are intentionally creating pathways that allow graduates to transition from education into meaningful workplace experience. In return, restoring hope, building confidence, and preparing a generation of young Namibians to actively participate in the economy.” He added that addressing youth unemployment requires collective effort from both the public and private sectors.
“We are calling on Corporate Namibia to join us in shaping the future workforce of this country because youth unemployment is not a challenge one institution can solve alone. It requires collective national action. Every internship opportunity created has the potential to change the trajectory of a young person’s life.” Corporate partners, including Standard Bank Namibia, Old Mutual Namibia, Momentum Metropolitan Namibia, Social Security, and the Namibia Institute of Pathology, have contributed towards the programme, reinforcing its growing recognition within the business community that investing in youth employability is also an investment in Namibia’s future economy.
MTC is now encouraging organisations across all sectors, including mining, agriculture, ICT, construction, finance, retail, manufacturing, logistics, health, tourism, and media, to partner with the Namibia National Internship Programme and help create meaningful workplace exposure opportunities for graduates entering the job market. The company says its focus for the year ahead will remain centred on expanding partnerships,
increasing internship placements, and ensuring that more young Namibians transition successfully from education into employment. “As a country, we cannot allow talent to stagnate because opportunity is absent. The future of Namibia’s economy depends on whether we are willing to invest in the potential of our young people today.” Tim Ekandjo
