Tech Pathways: Breaking into the Tech Industry

Tech Pathways emerged from the passion of Billets' co-founders to offer aspiring tech enthusiasts personalized career insights from seasoned professionals. Our inaugural event showcased three industry experts delving into Namibia's tech landscape, unveiling diverse career trajectories and addressing the hurdles of entering the industry.

Meet The Guest Speakers

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Chantelle Van Wyk

Chantelle van Wyk is a Business Analyst & Operations Specialist at EXEDIN Training Academy, with a background as an IT Manager and a GIS Technician.

She is a passionate advocate for empowering fellow students and tech enthusiasts. As a previous President of the FCI Society (NUST) and Faculty Representative, Chantelle championed student voices and spearheaded initiatives to bridge the gap between academics and professional aspirations.

Additionally, she co-founded both Sisters in Design and Technology (SiDT) and the Namibia Students in Technology community. She also serves as a Country Ambassador for Zindi Africa, contributing to data science education and community upliftment.

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Nawa Likando

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Nawa Likando is a Digital Strategy, Transformation, and Innovation expert with extensive experience in telecommunications and digital transformation.

He leads MTC’s strategic development, projects and partnership initiatives aimed at driving digital transformation and industry-academic collaboration in Namibia. With a keen interest in leveraging global and local perspectives toward technology adoption, he is passionate about transforming Namibia and Africa at large into an inclusive digital economy.

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Efraim Vilho

Efraim Vilho is a dynamic professional with a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science Cyber Security and an Honors Degree in Digital Forensics. With over 6 years of Industry experience (3 years of experience in the Digital Transformation and startup ecosystem).

He was the ICT manager at Startup Namibia and Head of the Digital Mobile lab at the Digital Transformation Center. Efraim brings a wealth of expertise to the table. In 2022, he played a pivotal role as a member of the online jury for the World Summit Awards, contributing to the recognition of innovative startups globally.

Currently, Efraim excels as the community manager at Co-Creation Hub, a renowned pan-African organization committed to propelling the utilization of Technology and Innovation for the betterment of Africa. Efraim holds a bachelor's degree in Cyber Security and an honors degree in digital forensics (CUM LAUDE).

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Insights & Takeaways

Namibia's Tech Industry

🌍 Namibia is in the process of catching up with digital transformation and fostering a tech-savvy society.

🏢 Many organizations in Namibia are actively pursuing digitalization.

💡 Technology permeates every sector in Namibia, offering solutions to various problem statements and driving growth and financial prosperity.

🏦 Bank of Namibia stands out as a progressive institution in terms of technological regulation, yet innovators, particularly in fintech, encounter bureaucratic hurdles.

📈 Namibia's global innovation index ranking ranges from 92 to 104.

🎓 Chantelle van Wyk highlighted a lack of awareness among students regarding IT branches.

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Career paths in Namibian Tech

🎯 Nawa Likando emphasized the importance of students focusing on the skills required for a role rather than just the role itself. Consider the skill sets relevant to your desired position rather than solely focusing on the job title.

🔍 Chantelle van Wyk highlighted the significance of soft skills alongside hard skills. Soft skills such as problem-solving, communication, and life-long learning are crucial in today's professional landscape.

🌟 Both Likando and van Wyk stress the necessity of a holistic skill set for success in the workforce.

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Challenges in the Tech Industry

🎓 Nawa Likando highlighted the lack of diverse skill sets readily available across industries in the country. Also, there's a noticeable gap between the skills students acquire in university and what industries demand.

🔄 Siloed operations are prevalent, leading to duplicated problem-solving efforts and disunity within Namibia's ecosystem. Which begs the question, how can collaborative efforts address shared challenges and foster value creation across organizations?

🔒 Namibia lacks a cybersecurity bill and suffers from low awareness of cybersecurity among organizations, though initiatives like MICT & Salt's event aim to address this gap, further efforts are needed.

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Catch the Recap on Our YouTube Channel

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Huge Thank You to Our Amazing Partners!

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