Rise from humble beginnings

Rise from humble beginningsOvercoming tough times to achieve success Leonard Filemon believes circumstances should not stand in the way of achieving success. Monique Adams





Leonard Filemon has faced many ups and downs in his life and career, but he has managed to rise to the challenge.

Since 2016 he has worked at the ministry of labour, industrial relations and employment creation as an employment officer. He is the sole provider for his parents and the only breadwinner in his home.

After completing his high school at Ekulo Senior Secondary School in the Oshikoto region, Leonard Filemon attended the International University of Management (IUM) and graduated with an honours degree in marketing.

He says attending to his studies was not always easy, as he lived far from the campus. Yet he is proud of his accomplishments, which make the tough times he experienced worth it.

Among his proudest moments are managing to graduate with his degree, getting the opportunity to travel to South Korea in 2019 and winning a second place as the labour ministry’s representative at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) Career Fair and Exhibition in 2019.

As an employment officer, his duties consist of administering the Namibia Integrated Employment Information System (NIEIS), providing guidance on self-employment schemes and projects, job interview coaching and other tasks.

“My day to day gets very busy,” he said.

He also helps visitors seeking help that come to the employment service bureau looking for assistance such as registering as jobseekers. He updates profiles and responds to email enquiries.

In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with friends and driving while listening to music, which soothes him after a long day at work.