Startup Story
For all those looking to get a good job and build a successful career, they know that training and personal skills development will give them the edge. In Namibia, that’s where Global Edge Training Institute (GETI), founded by entrepreneur Juliet Madamombe, comes to the rescue.
LoA chatted to founder Juliet Madamombe this month to find out more….
What does your company do?
Global Edge Training Institute (GETI) is a training institute offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional courses, customized work-based training, academic support programs, and employability skills. Our professional courses are offered in line with the job market requirements and consist of theory and practical sessions to enhance learning. Job attachments give an opportunity for our students to gain valuable knowledge and skills required in specific sectors of the economy. Most of our courses can be registered from anywhere, anytime.
We offer a wide range of relevant short courses that are designed to continuously improve productivity in the Public Sector, Parastatals, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Private Sector and other organizations across the continent. We have facilitated successful training programs and we remain fully committed to delivering quality training, using highly qualified facilitators with extensive experience and knowledge in their respective field. GETI believes that in order for organisations to evolve successfully, continued development of staff is essential. In this ever-changing environment, it is the ability of the individuals within the organizations to learn and develop their skills that will determine their on-going success.
Academic Support Program is mainly focused on providing academic assistance to university students at all levels, to foster excellent academic performance. Our Employability skills program empowers university/college students, graduates, and newly employed personnel with the required skills for the 21st-century workplaces.
“GETI believes that in order for organisations to evolve successfully, continued development of staff is essential.”
What inspired you to start your company?
The desire for financial freedom, flexible time with my family and most importantly the desire to help companies and individuals achieve their objectives inspired me to venture into business.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Our work-based training programmes involve a combination of theory-based learning and practical-based learning (on-the-job and off-the-job). We focus on the specific needs of employees and all courses are tailor-made to suit your training requirements. We, therefore, consider a wide range of different backgrounds and experiences of individuals and apply this when developing individual training and assessment strategies.
Our approach allows trainees an opportunity to fit the training programmes into their busy professional and personal lives. Work based training is conducted using numerous methods including presentations, practical demonstrations and observations, question and answer interviews, written tasks and reports.
We offer short courses that are in line with the job market requirements. By placing our students for job attachments, we basically prepare them for the job market. Students can register for online, full time, part time and Distance learning. Our newly introduced online courses allows anyone to pursue studies from anywhere in the world.
Our employability skills programme strive to blend tertiary qualifications, technical expertise, soft skills and human relations ability which are vital to be attractive to employers and to be competitive in the job market. Our team of professionals continuously explores skills currently needed for employment. With our expertise gained for so many years from conducting corporate training for both public and private companies, we have knowledge on what employers seek from their employees to make sure they are productive.
“In this ever-changing environment, it is the ability of the individuals within the organizations to learn and develop their skills that will determine their on-going success.”
Tell us a little about your team
We currently have 6 full-time employees in Windhoek, Oshakati and Walvis Bay and they are responsible for marketing and office administration tasks. We have 6 full -time lecturers and the rest work on a part-time basis. For work-based training programmes, we hire facilitators as and when they are required.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I grew up in a family where education was emphasised as the key ingredient for success, so I never got teachings on entrepreneurship in my early childhood. I am a true innovator and enjoy experimenting with new ideas. Over the years, I have tried so many things and today I am a multi-passionate entrepreneur.
Having worked for more than a decade, I acquired valuable work experience that became the basis for my entrepreneurship journey. Driven by the desire to follow my dreams, I launched my first business in 2012. For over two years I ran my business parallel to my full-time job. Year 2014 became a turning point in my life when I had to make a decision on what was really important for me. Overwhelmed by a full-time job, my own business, my family to take care of and post grad studies, I had to choose between my job and my business to ease the mounting pressure.
In 2014, I quit my job to work in my business full time and I never looked back since then. When I started, I didn’t have savings and I never got a loan from the bank. So the decision to follow my passions wasn’t made possible not because I had enough money in my bank account, but because my dreams were bigger than my fears. Therefore I was ready to face challenges head on. In 2016, I launched Global Edge Training Institute and from 2019, my business took a new dimension and is geared to empower companies and individuals across the African continent.
Today I don’t regret leaving my fulltime job, I am on a journey to build my empire and fulfil my dreams. Throughput my entrepreneurship journey, I have encountered challenges and failures which became a source of inspiration and invaluable experiences that moulded me to be the strong entrepreneur I am today. I have big dreams ahead of me and will not stop at anything until I find my treasure
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
I have a strong desire to spread my wings and make an impact across the African continent through the provision of quality education and capacity building programmes for both corporates and individuals. It is employee productivity and competence that determines the success of every organisation. Globalisation and technology have made it possible for businesses to reach out to as many countries across the globe as possible. It remains my passion to contribute to the development of our African continent as I work towards poverty eradication through youth empowerment. I believe education is one sure way that will eventually change the world as it prepares future leaders of tomorrow.
“With our expertise gained for so many years from conducting corporate training for both public and private companies, we have knowledge on what employers seek from their employees to make sure they are productive.”
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Entrepreneurship gives me plenty of opportunities to be innovative and be adventurous as I venture into different projects. Most importantly, it allows me to be myself and work towards fulfilling my dreams. I always embrace the challenges that come with entrepreneurship because that's what keeps me going as I strive to stay on top of my game.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Don’t let anyone tell you, you can't do it. If you have a dream, you got to protect it. You don’t need people to validate your goals in life, your greatest validation comes from within yourself. Many times people want to project their failures onto you and they think if they can't do certain things, you cannot do it either. I believe each individual has plenty of things worth living for and an endless reservoir of untapped potential within - just waiting. So stop waiting! There is no next opportunity that is better than the one you have at this moment. Too often we spend too much time attempting to perfect something that we haven’t started. Don’t let past mistakes define who you are. ‘Success is not final; failure is not fatal ‘( Winston Churchill)
Contact or follow Global Edge Training Institute (GETI)
WEBSITE | EMAIL training@globalinsti.com
Why LoA loves it….
In today’s competitive and challenging business environment, ensuring you have the right skills required by the market at any time is so important. But that means getting the right skills development and training when it is needed, delivered by professionals who know practically how to help individuals to fulfill their potential. In Namibia, Juliet Madamombe is one entrepreneur who is playing her part in developing the human capital that is needed to change lives for the better. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo of Lionesses of Africa