A new intervention aimed at converting technical skills into scalable businesses has been launched in Namibia, as policymakers and private-sector actors intensify efforts to tackle youth unemployment and unlock enterprise-led growth.
The Capricorn Foundation has rolled out its Vocational Graduate Entrepreneurship Programme, a structured initiative designed to transition graduates of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) into self-sustaining entrepreneurs. The programme, developed in partnership with Unmatched Potential – Business Box Namibia, debuted in the coastal industrial hub of Swakopmund, a strategic location at the heart of Namibia’s logistics, mining and tourism economy.
The launch addresses a persistent structural gap in Namibia’s labour market. The country produces technically skilled graduates but many struggle to convert qualifications into income-generating ventures in a constrained formal job market.
In its first phase, the programme will select 20 vocational graduates from the Erongo Region, all of whom must have completed accredited TVET training at levels 3 or 4 within the past one to five years. The selection process will be competitive and applicants will be narrowed to a shortlist of 30 candidates, who will then pitch for final inclusion in the three-month programme.
Participants will receive targeted mentorship, practical business training, and entrepreneurial coaching designed to bridge the gap between technical competence and commercial viability. The intervention is calibrated not only to build businesses, but to reshape the mindset, arguably the most critical barrier to enterprise formation.
“Vocational graduates are at the heart of Namibia’s development story,” said Veripura Muukua, Head of Capricorn Foundation. “With the Be Your Own Boss Programme, we are giving young people not only skills, but also real pathways to create opportunities for themselves.”
She added, “At the Capricorn Foundation, we believe that when youth are empowered to turn their talents into livelihoods, we strengthen families, communities and ultimately the future of our country. This initiative is more than a mentorship programme, it is a commitment to building a thriving entrepreneurial culture that unlocks Namibia’s unmatched potential.”
Namibia’s emphasis on TVET is embedded in long-term policy frameworks, including Vision 2030 and National Development Plan 6, both of which position skills development as central to economic diversification. Yet the transition from training to employment remains uneven, particularly in an economy where formal job creation has lagged population growth.
The programme’s architects argue that the solution lies not in expanding wage employment alone, but in systematically enabling graduates to create their own enterprises.
“At Unmatched Potential – Business Box Namibia, we are committed to helping the youth of Namibia unlock their potential,” said Etienne Raymond, Founder and CEO of Unmatched Potential – Business Box Namibia. “We believe that Namibians are talented and can create a world-class Namibia.”
He framed the initiative as a mindset shift as much as a skills intervention: “Each person is unique, with a purpose and an entrepreneurial nature. If mindsets shift from ‘I need’ to ‘I create’, meaningful, sustainable livelihoods can be established. The Be Your Own Boss programme coaches participants on how to turn skills and talents into value with commercial benefits.”
Namibia’s move mirrors a broader African trend where governments and private institutions are increasingly pivoting toward entrepreneurship as a primary driver of job creation. Across the continent, small and medium-sized enterprises already account for up to 80% of employment, yet access to structured early-stage support remains fragmented.
The emergence of targeted programmes, particularly those focused on TVET graduates, signals a recognition that Africa’s industrialisation will depend not only on large-scale investment, but also on the productivity and scalability of small enterprises rooted in technical skills.
In sectors such as construction, renewable energy, manufacturing and services, vocational graduates are uniquely positioned to build businesses that address local demand gaps while contributing to national value chains.
The programme’s design reflects a deliberate attempt to institutionalise entrepreneurship at the grassroots level. Beyond training, it seeks to cultivate self-leadership, resilience and commercial thinking, traits often absent from traditional technical curricula.
“Our goal is to create a world-class entrepreneurial culture in Namibia, in partnership with changemakers like Capricorn Foundation,” Raymond said.
This emphasis on culture-building aligns with a growing body of evidence suggesting that ecosystems not just funding, determine startup success. By embedding mentorship, peer networks and practical exposure into the programme, organisers aim to create a replicable model for enterprise development.
While modest in scale, 20 participants in its initial cohort, the programme represents a targeted, high-impact intervention in a labour market under strain. If successful, it could serve as a blueprint for scaling similar initiatives across Namibia and the wider Southern African region.
More broadly, it reinforces a critical shift in Africa’s development narrative from job-seeking to job creation, from dependency to agency.
Applications for the programme are now open to eligible vocational graduates in the Erongo Region, with submissions closing on April 3. Candidates must complete the online application, after which shortlisted applicants will advance to the pitching stage.
The initiative remains subject to terms and conditions, with final selection based on both technical background and entrepreneurial potential.
Applications can be submitted through the following link:
https://forms.gle/JtaTiYft6eKfuuCD7
