Access Bank has announced that it will be sending 38 graduates to Lagos, Nigeria, to complete a six-month programme.
Thereafter, the graduates will immediately be absorbed as employees at a branch the Nigerian commercial bank plans to open in Namibia.
One of the selected graduates, Petrus Nathinge, says he hopes the programme sets an example for other companies to follow.
The programme offers graduates from various fields who are still unemployed the opportunity to be absorbed into the job market.
“Knowing that this programme is open to people of all backgrounds with any degree, being able to enter the space, receive the proper training to equip you to be able to do the work, allows you to not only rely on your degree and the expertise you gained in school, but gives you practical experience to be able to apply for a job,” Nathinge says.
He is passionate about seeing development on the continent and says this is the moment for Africa to be globally competitive.
Beyond the skills, he will obtain, he hopes to network with people from all across the world and learn more about developments in various African countries.
“I want to see how we can learn from each other and collaborate with each other to really work to build a better future for us as the youth of Africa,” Nathinge says.
Access Bank human resources manager Edwina Hashikutuva says the purpose of the graduate programme is to take the “rejected market” – comprising new graduates, as well as those who have been unable to secure employment, and integrate them into the job market.
She says experience is not a prerequisite for the bank.
According to Hashikutuva, the bank aims to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and the professional experience required by employers.
The bank will provide graduates with housing, as well as a monthly stipend, food and healthcare, she says.
In terms of the scope of the bank’s investment in this project, head of the Access Bank Namibian project Oluseun Onasoga says the bank makes investments because they know the youth is the future.
However, he did not mention the costs involved in the programme.
Another graduate who is part of the programme, Hendrina Silas, describes it as a great initiative which allows companies to groom graduates in terms of the skills they require.
“I believe it’s such a great initiative because now you get to groom them to play roles in your company and it gives opportunities to everyone who needs a job, because these experience requirements are quite insane,” Silas says.
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