Patience Makwele
The government has accelerated efforts to equip Namibians with technical skills needed for the country’s emerging oil and gas industry, warning that the sector’s employment opportunities could be lost to foreign workers if local capacity is not developed in time.
Presidential special advisor and head of the upstream petroleum unit in the office of the President, Kornelia Shilunga, said expanding vocational training programmes is critical to ensuring Namibians are ready to take up jobs expected to be created as oil and gas exploration progresses.
Speaking during a visit to the Keetmanshoop Vocational Training Centre on Monday, Shilunga welcomed the institution’s decision to upgrade its boilermaking and metal fabrication programme, describing it as an important step towards addressing the country’s growing technical skills shortage.
“We do not want to import skills. We do not want to be told that jobs are available but the necessary skills are not,” she said.
“We want to ensure that all the skills demanded by industry are available within our workforce. This will contribute to job creation, help address the unemployment many of our young people face and support the objectives of National Development Plan Six, which prioritises employment creation.”
The Keetmanshoop Vocational Training Centre, which officially opened earlier this year, is positioning itself as one of the institutions expected to produce artisans required by Namibia’s rapidly developing energy sector.
During the visit, the centre’s head, Benedictus Diergaardt, briefed Shilunga on the institution’s training programmes, strategic plans and its role in preparing young Namibians for technical careers aligned with future industry demand.
Shilunga also encouraged young people to take advantage of government’s free tertiary education initiative by enrolling in vocational training programmes that offer practical skills linked to employment opportunities.
“I have been informed that students here are studying free of charge under government’s free education initiative. Young people should seize this opportunity to gain the skills needed to benefit from employment opportunities in the oil and gas industry,” she said.
Her remarks come as Namibia intensifies efforts to build a local workforce capable of supporting what is expected to become one of the country’s biggest economic sectors, amid growing calls for greater local participation and reduced reliance on imported expertise.
The visit also formed part of government’s broader strategy to align vocational education with labour market demand and ensure the benefits of the country’s oil and gas discoveries translate into sustainable employment for Namibians.
