Bridging the classroom and the office

Written by Aletta Shikololo

In today’s fast-paced world, students seek practical experience in school, preparing them for successful careers after graduation.

With the collaboration of industry and academia, cooperative education, also known as co-op, has emerged as a pathway to career success, allowing students to work in their field of study while completing their degree program.

A co-op is a unique approach to learning that combines classroom instruction with practical work experience. For students, Work Integrated Learning (WIL) provides the opportunity to understand how their academic coursework applies to the workplace, gain real-world work experience, develop industry-specific skills, build professional networks, and enhance their resumes. For employers, WIL programs offer access to a pool of potential talent, opportunities to train and assess future employees, and the ability to build relationships with academic institutions.

PulseHR conducted an exclusive interview with Martha Namutuwa, a cooperative education specialist and HR lecturer at Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST).

The insightful discussion centred on her noteworthy career in cooperative education and her recent transition to fulltime lecturing, while also addressing the challenges that must be surmounted to equip students with the necessary skills for the job market.

Martha Namutuwa is a renowned figure in cooperative education, having amassed years of extensive expertise and making remarkable strides in the advancement of co-op programs, effectively bridging the gap between academia and industry.

Throughout her career, Namutuwa has collaborated with innovative teams and facilitated the signing of over 300 Memorandum of Agreements (MoAs) with diverse organisations, thereby providing NUST students with ample WIL placement opportunities.

“I have also spearheaded the implementation of the Employability Improvement Programme (EIP) aimed at enhancing the work readiness of WIL-eligible students. In addition, I have laid the groundwork to pilot the EIP employee training in the industry,” stated Namutuwa.

Namutuwa explained that the EIP programme originated from projects she coordinated, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through the bilateral cooperation between Namibia and Japan. She co-developed an employability handbook during her four-month staff exchange in Germany in 2015, which was integrated into the ePre-WIL work readiness course implemented at NUST.

The program aims to better prepare the students for their careers and the workplace before they are placed for work-based learning in industry.

In addition, Namutuwa has also developed extensive knowledge and skills in this field through her research.

“I have co-presented papers at several national and international conferences, and my research experience has inspired me to focus my Master’s degree thesis on the impact of WIL on the employability of graduates using psychological career resources at a higher education institution in Namibia,” she said.

Work Integrated Learning Incorporated within the curricula of academic programs, WIL is a learning development initiative that contributes to the final qualification conferred by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

This involves experiential learning, where theoretical knowledge is put into practice through work-based education, apprenticeships, problem-based learning, project-based learning, simulations, and other methods.

Namutuwa notes that WIL allows students to apply their classroom learning to industry and community settings.

She said the programme has transformed from a voluntary internship for experience to an integral component of various programs, including nursing, teaching, hospitality, and information technology, to mention a few.

According to the WIL expert, it is now mandatory for all undergraduate programs at institutions like NUST, and some other higher education institutions in Namibia, to have a WIL component.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes in the coordination and implementation of WIL.

“Workplaces were inaccessible during the pandemic, and placement opportunities have decreased postpandemic. Additionally, the monitoring and evaluation of WIL activities have shifted from face-to-face to virtual,” she explained.

Challenges/barriers to implementing WIL

Similar to other academic domains, WIL also encounters various challenges.

According to Namutuwa, the absence of a national framework, regulation, and funding to support the implementation of WIL in Namibia is a significant hurdle to its successful implementation.

She also highlighted that the lack of incentives for WIL training activities is discouraging for the industry to meet educational institutions halfway to produce wellrounded graduates better equipped for the job market.

Namutuwa believes these challenges can be addressed through strong collaboration between industry and academia to implement career guidance, coaching, and employability improvement programs.

“By doing so, they can promote the career readiness and professional development of graduates, enabling them to be ready for the local and international labour market,” she added.

Namutuwa highlighted the importance of entrepreneurship and business simulation hubs in supporting career readiness and self-employment creation for the youth, which can aid their career development and socio-economic conditions.

Regarding the current job market in Namibia, Namutuwa noted a demand for skills that are in short supply.

Work experience is also a prerequisite for recruitment in various fields.

She further stated that there is a disconnect between the skills produced by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and those required by the job market.

To address this issue, she suggested collaboration between industry and HEIs to prepare graduates with the skills necessary for the labour market and to support work-based learning programs to bridge the skills gap.

Additionally, Namutuwa advised graduates to take WIL placement opportunities seriously as it helps them better prepare for the job market.

“Graduates should engage in career readiness and employability programmes. Most importantly, graduates also need to seize opportunities at platforms that can keep them informed about job market skills requirements and opportunities and possible entrepreneurship programmes that can motivate and mentor them to create employment,” said the cooperative education expert.

By working together, academic institutions and employers can create mutually beneficial partnerships that enhance the skills and employability of students while also addressing the needs of the labour market, thereby bridging the gap between the classroom and the office.