Patience Makwele
Seventeen young Namibians will represent the country in 16 vocational and technical skill categories at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, China, from 22 to 27 September, as Namibia seeks to benchmark its technical and vocational education against global standards.
The Namibia Training Authority (NTA) and WorldSkills Namibia (WSN) announced the country’s participation on Wednesday to coincide with World Youth Skills Day which is observed annually on 15 July.
The biennial competition, which is often described as the world’s largest skills competition, will bring together about 1,400 competitors from more than 70 countries and regions to compete in 64 vocational and technical disciplines. The event is designed to promote excellence in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) while exposing young professionals to international industry standards.
Namibia’s team will compete in mechatronics, welding, plumbing and heating, web technologies, electrical installations, bricklaying, joinery, fashion technology, automobile technology, cooking, restaurant services, refrigeration and air conditioning, hairdressing, mechanical engineering CAD, water technology and wall and floor tiling.
Beyond the competition, Namibia will participate in the WorldSkills Conference, where Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp will join policymakers from member countries to discuss future workforce trends, TVET transformation and the role of skills in driving inclusive economic growth.
The country will also form part of a joint African exhibition alongside nine other countries, showcasing Namibia’s achievements in technical and vocational education while strengthening continental cooperation.
WorldSkills Namibia Technical Delegate Sens Shoolongo said Team Namibia had undergone months of structured technical preparation and readiness assessments ahead of the global event.
“As a global benchmark for technical excellence, WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 represents an opportunity for Namibia to showcase the capabilities of our skilled professionals. Team Namibia has undergone comprehensive technical preparation, including structured training, skills development and readiness assessments to ensure our competitors are equipped for the global stage,” he said.
NTA chief executive officer and Official Delegate of WorldSkills Namibia Erick Fundula Nenghwanya said the competition reflects the country’s commitment to equipping young people with future-ready skills.
“Skills are the foundation of our future workforce, our economy and our shared prosperity. Our country’s participation in WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 supports efforts to empower our young people with future-ready competencies that respond to industry needs and global standards,” he said.
Namibia has been a member of WorldSkills International since 2011 and joined WorldSkills Africa in 2024. The NTA established the WorldSkills Namibia Secretariat in 2016 to coordinate national skills competitions and prepare Team Namibia for regional and international events.
This year’s participation aligns with the 2026 World Youth Skills Day theme, “Skills for a Shared Future”, which highlights the importance of equipping young people with technical, digital, artificial intelligence and green economy skills needed for rapidly changing labour markets.
