2018
Update May
The B360 Career Starter Program
A report by Sabina Balmer.
The new B360 Career Starter program took off in 2017 with pilot workshops at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Windhoek. Based on the excellent results, the workshops have been included in the B360 operational planning for 2018 and 2019.
For the implementation of the B360 Career Starter program the Cooperative Education Unit (CEU) and the local lecturers at NUST play a key role. Martha Namutuwa, Industry Officer of CEU, and Enzy Kaura, lecturer in Human Resources and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) coordinator, are both very important partners for B360 at NUST. For this reason we asked them a few questions. Please click here to read the full interviews of Enzy Kaura and Martha Namutuwa.
In 2018 already four Career Starter Workshops have been run. We are systematically gathering feedback from students to monitor the impact the workshops are having as well as from different stakeholders. Here you can read a few statements about the Career Starter Weeks run in 2018:
“We believe that we made an impact: the panel presentation as well as the one-to-one feedback/coaching session at the end of the week were two key opportunities for the students to see how they progressed in their strategic thinking, ability to connect dots, speaking up, presentation skills and self-confidence. They told us they were more aware of their own potential and that the two weeks were inspiring for them. We are convinced that we met during those two weeks the future generation of Namibian leaders.”
“We got real world learning experience and they gave us feedback on where we need to improve. This is the best gift that one can ever receive.“
„’Knowledge is power’. If we continue with this program and partnership, Namibia will have good future leaders who will be well empowered and equipped.“
„I have gained a lot of self-confidence, I have learned how to calm my nervousness, do self-marketing and prepare for interviews.”
“As the NUST co-lecturer for Lea and Florence I attended the whole Career Starter Week. Seeing the different teaching and coaching methods which Lea and Florence applied, was very helpful for me and it gave me new ideas on how to improve participative teaching during my own lectures. It was an amazing process to see how the students developed within just a few days and were able to work through a business case and deliver a very professional presentation as a team at the end of the Career Starter Week. I believe the students themselves will never forget this experience because they did not realise the potential in themselves until they presented at the end.”
“Throughout the week, we covered many different topics from management essentials, strategy, business planning, understanding self and others, reflecting on their own career drivers, HR lifecycle, governance, ethics, business practices to project work. Sometimes we did give them a stretch and they were challenged. And it was great to see how the students really opened from day to day and exercise to exercise and how they also were able to immediately incorporate feedback; be it from their colleagues and peers as well as from us. By the end of the week we sometimes had great laughs and discussions.”
“The use of business cases, games and practical examples gets students involved, they can actively learn about the world of work and their employability skills are strengthened. The one-on-one feedback to each student pointing out their strengths and areas of development is very helpful and gives the students insight on how to prepare for interviews and internships as well as how to write good job application letters. The feedback from students show that they also learn about time management, self-branding, communication and gain a lot of self-confidence.”
“After successfully completing the career starter week students receive a certificate which they can include in their internship or job applications. This is helpful as it indicates to potential employers that they attended a work readiness workshop and have acquired relevant skills for the workplace.”