Meatco hosts NUST students for industry exposure

First-year students from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) visited Meatco earlier this month for a research visit aimed at bridging the gap between academic study and industry practice.

The students, enrolled in the Bachelor of Procurement and Supply Chain Management programme, conducted the visit on 6 March as part of their Fundamentals of Marketing module.

During the engagement, they met with professionals from Meatco’s Marketing and Sales Division, including representatives from the Logistics, Agro-Processing and Value Addition departments. The visit gave students direct exposure to how Meatco manages marketing operations, product distribution and value-added beef processing within Namibia’s livestock value chain.

Meatco’s interim chief executive, Albertus Aochamub, said collaboration between industry and academic institutions is critical to developing a skilled workforce. “Providing practical exposure to students complements classroom learning and contributes to building a pipeline of competent professionals who will sustain and grow Namibia’s agricultural and agro-processing sectors,” he said.

He added that the initiative aligns with the government’s human capital development priorities under Namibia’s national development frameworks.

Logistics coordinator Ferdinando Jario noted that the engagements benefit Meatco as well. “Interactions with students encourage fresh perspectives and critical questions, often leading to further reflection and research within our teams,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the student group, Titus Shimuandi thanked the corporation for the reception. “The practical insights shared by the Meatco team greatly enriched our research and helped us better understand how theoretical concepts are applied in real industry environments,” he said.

The students also acknowledged Jario, production manager Barnard Haukambe, quality assurance training officer Rapaheua Kasaona, and sales representative Josef Haukambe for their support during the visit.

Meatco regularly partners with local institutions of higher learning to provide students with exposure to the livestock and agro-processing sectors.