HR is the engine of any organisation
Levi Kaurikomeho
The human resources (HR) office is the engine of any institution, where all departments or divisions are essentially bolted to it, and this is where the magic happens.
“We are the team that brings people on board and gets them off,” says Levi Kaurikomeho, a human resource practitioner at the ministry of labour, industrial relations and employment creation.
Originally from the Omaheke Region, Kaurikomeho completed his secondary education at Okahandja Secondary School and has a bachelor’s degree in public management, specialising in human resource management, from the Polytechnic of Namibia (now Namibia University of Science and Technology).
His career kicked off as a primary teacher at Otjinene in the Omaheke Region where he taught mathematics and science for three years. Kaurikomeho then joined the labour ministry as an employment officer for a year and a half, after which he assumed the position of human resources practitioner.
Kaurikomeho is one of six human resource practitioners in the ministry who serve the HR needs of staff countrywide. His role in HR includes recruitment of new staff members, registration of medical aid, social security and pension benefits, transfers and promotions, leave records and progress reports and attending to any problems employees may have at work.
He said one of the challenges the office is faced with is jobseekers who bring their resumes to the HR office in the hope of getting employment, which can be emotional because they sometimes do not meet the requirements for the positions they apply for.
“Knowing that they are unable to put bread on the table makes you feel different and it can be emotional at times. I try to advise them to venture into something (entrepreneurial) if they do not have a job, but I do not know whether they heed the advice I give them.”
But despite the challenge of dealing with the hardships of others, Kaurikomeho says meeting people from different backgrounds is rewarding. Additionally, coaching them or offering them career or personal advice can be rewarding.
For people who aspire to pursue a career in human resource management, Kaurikomeho advises them to study towards a qualification in business administration and not only specialise in human resources, as courses are vast and encompass different areas of an organisation, including HR.
The human resources (HR) office is the engine of any institution, where all departments or divisions are essentially bolted to it, and this is where the magic happens.
“We are the team that brings people on board and gets them off,” says Levi Kaurikomeho, a human resource practitioner at the ministry of labour, industrial relations and employment creation.
Originally from the Omaheke Region, Kaurikomeho completed his secondary education at Okahandja Secondary School and has a bachelor’s degree in public management, specialising in human resource management, from the Polytechnic of Namibia (now Namibia University of Science and Technology).
His career kicked off as a primary teacher at Otjinene in the Omaheke Region where he taught mathematics and science for three years. Kaurikomeho then joined the labour ministry as an employment officer for a year and a half, after which he assumed the position of human resources practitioner.
Kaurikomeho is one of six human resource practitioners in the ministry who serve the HR needs of staff countrywide. His role in HR includes recruitment of new staff members, registration of medical aid, social security and pension benefits, transfers and promotions, leave records and progress reports and attending to any problems employees may have at work.
He said one of the challenges the office is faced with is jobseekers who bring their resumes to the HR office in the hope of getting employment, which can be emotional because they sometimes do not meet the requirements for the positions they apply for.
“Knowing that they are unable to put bread on the table makes you feel different and it can be emotional at times. I try to advise them to venture into something (entrepreneurial) if they do not have a job, but I do not know whether they heed the advice I give them.”
But despite the challenge of dealing with the hardships of others, Kaurikomeho says meeting people from different backgrounds is rewarding. Additionally, coaching them or offering them career or personal advice can be rewarding.
For people who aspire to pursue a career in human resource management, Kaurikomeho advises them to study towards a qualification in business administration and not only specialise in human resources, as courses are vast and encompass different areas of an organisation, including HR.
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