Enriching Cooperation with Bank Windhoek

From the moment we landed at the Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, our assignment at Bank Windhoek was nothing less than a smooth organized journey. We were accompanied by many professional and kind colleagues, who made the whole initiative possible and took care of us at all times.

The close collaboration with Zelda and Emoreen has been crucial to the success of two intensive Career Starter Weeks. Their HR session was particularly important for the participants giving them a realistic idea of what the application process in Namibia is about. And their in-depth knowledge of the local market has helped us tailor our foreign experiences and expertise to the Namibian working environment.

There was Hilmar, who was never tired of providing us with technical support, down to the perfect adjustment of the window blinds. We were supported by Roxanne, who challenged the graduates in their mock interviews with her expertise and, as an investor, did not want to turn her back on Shilongo. And – not to forget – Rosa the good spirit of the venue. She made sure that we didn't miss a single meal, especially when participants and experts couldn't stop working and discussing during the breaks.

We could name many more people who made the whole event worthwhile and would still not do them all justice. But we will always remember the kind support of everyone involved.

Collaboration with participants

The first thing that struck us in the classroom was the warm welcome and intense curiosity of the participants. Each of them showed genuine interest in the program and brought a unique perspective. Together they created a dynamic and very engaging environment that made every session a pleasure. Their sometimes spontaneous and other times thoughtful questions, openness to discuss new ideas, and willingness to engage deeply with the material were truly inspiring.

Another remarkable experience was witnessing the ease of the participants to work together as a team. They didn’t require any introductory time to get to know each other but jumped directly into team assignments. The participants respected each other from the first assignment and maintained a friendly but professional attitude until the very last presentation at the end of the week.

Impact and win-win

The program is well structured to provide the necessary skills to successfully master the job search and final interview processes. Each skill is briefly introduced, intensively discussed and then immediately applied and practiced though an exercise or assignment. The pace is intentionally high and coupled with the packed itinerary requires a high level of commitment and stamina from the participants. The curriculum equally challenges IQ and EQ and provides ample opportunities for each participant to learn and to shine.

How many times did we hear the phrases “Now I understand why they do (or want) this!” and “Now it makes sense!”? It was very rewarding to experience how the participants practiced and demonstrated their improved or new skills.

What stood out most to us was how much we learned from the participants. While we came with the intention to lecture, we found ourselves learning just as much – about resilience, creativity, and the power of community. The way the participants supported and challenged each other, collaborated with each other and grew as a team was remarkable and reminded us of the richness that diverse perspectives and shared purpose can bring.

Each of the participants had their own strengths and weaknesses, experiences and skills. But as a team they managed well to combine their individual traits and produce a much stronger and more creative result than the simple arithmetic sum would imply.

From many wonderful bits and pieces to a memorable journey

It seems almost impossible to isolate a single event or encounter and describe it as outstanding. Maybe:

• Willem, the best photographer ever, who made outstanding portraits of the Namibian graduates and excellent pictures of all participants, and never got tired to provide us with recommendations

• Participants taking an 8 hour-drive to attend the Career Starter Week

• Namibian graduates with an enormous wealth of ideas for setting up a micro-business

• The calmness and composure of the Namibians, even when things go wrong

• How rainfall makes the desert bloom, one never gets tired of watching sunrises and sunsets and how the desert and dunes flow directly into the ocean

• We could have filled several more pages with many more treasures!

Beyond Expectations

High expectations are usually only fulfilled to a limited extent. Even more, they often stand in the way of enriching surprises and experiences. Our assignment at Bank Windhoek proved this idea to be true – and unexpectedly exceeded all possible assumptions.

We were surprised how young Namibian graduates, who had never met before, formed trustworthy teams as if they had known each other for a long time. It was encouraging to see how they supported each other, despite their different levels of expertise and experiences. It was fascinating to see them improve and make great progress in such a short time – overcoming shyness, concerns and doubt. And it was fulfilling to see how they slowly entered the safe space of “trying things out” that we tried to provide for them.

It didn’t take us long to figure out that we needed to create our own trustworthy team before starting the Career Starter Week. On our travels through Namibia’s amazing landscape, we became aware of the differences of our own cultural backgrounds in Asia and Europe. We hope that we were able to convey to the Namibian graduates some of the open-mindedness, curiosity and humour that characterized our collaboration.

In addition to many unforeseen and unforgettable personal encounters, the beauty of the country left us with overwhelming and lasting images. The sky seemed bigger than we are used to at home, the landscape more beautiful than could be described, and the unexpected greenery created by the heavy rainfall adorns many of our pictures.

Personal message Karen

This journey was one of the most intense and impressive ones I have been part in quite a while. I realized once again that it's not always about implementing a perfect plan but about recognizing the value and importance of what’s right in front of you.

I am aware that this was only possible because people around us invited us to take part in their everyday lives. In addition to my gratitude for all the dedicated graduates of the CSW, the advisory colleagues at Bank Windhoek and the active support of B360, I would like to thank Max for making this unforgettable experience possible.

Personal message Max

I completely agree with Karen. The Namibia trip was so intense, I felt not a single second of time was wasted but every moment was put to good use. Whether lecturing with the participants, preparing for classes, traveling through the gorgeous country and meeting one of the nicest people or simply enjoying a meal or coffee, the experience was tremendously rewarding.

And finally, how many times did I appreciate the wonderful realization that this program is not about me, but about the others? For this, I want to thank the wonderful participants and wish them all the best for their future, Bank Windhoek for the superb local arrangements, LGT for allowing me to join this wonderful program and the B360 team whose hard work and dedication create and maintain this sustainable and effective program. And last but not least Karen for being a great partner in this endeavour.