Africa-Press – Namibia. Considering the Namibia’s emerging energy, particularly oil, gas and green hydrogen in the //Kharas region, all eyes are on Namibia’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges to prepare the youth to grab these future employment opportunities.
To unpack this, New Era’s regional reporter, Steven Klukowski (SK), engaged the Namibia Training Authority’s (NTA) CEO, Erick Nenghwanya (EN).
SK: What are the latest developments at NTA?
EN: Work has started in earnest, and the NTA looks forward to the taskforce completing its assignment in the next 10 to 12 months, outlining the human and financial resources needed to implement such transformation. Upon submission of its final report, recommendations therein would be considered and decisions taken in terms of implementation.
SK: How will the NTA respond to training needs that will emanate from the energy sector?
EN: In broad terms, the NTA has a responsibility to ensure the TVET sector develops and responds in a manner that maximises economic impact and unlocks employment opportunities by shaping a skilled workforce and meeting evolving industry needs. Of critical importance is the readiness of the TVET sector to deliver the skills required by the emerging energy sector against the construction and production timelines of the various projects. First, it must be highlighted that in anticipation of skills needs and opportunities to come, the country’s qualification programme development system and framework are well-equipped to upgrade current programmes and generate new ones relevant for these industries. Now, in terms of the Green Hydrogen (GH), a great variety of TVET professions are associated, directly and indirectly, with the sector, and there is a wide range of cross-cutting aspects in the individual links of the hydrogen value chain. The NTA needs to ensure Green Hydrogen TVET skills requirements are met and that skilled artisans are required for plant construction, the installation and maintenance of equipment, as well as the provision of support services. In terms of its relevance to the GH industry, Namibia’s TVET sector is relatively well positioned. Mere upskilling to higher NQF levels and/or reskilling will ensure improved alignment with GH industry-specific requirements. In terms of the complex and ever-evolving oil and gas sectors, while most of the skills required during exploration are largely petroleum geosciences-based, TVET skills become necessary to support the development of and sustain the production stages. The NTA has already prioritised the development of some functional skill sets in support of the sector, namely SHEQ officers, riggers and drilling technicians.
SK: Another topic raised was training students for jobs in the international market. Can you comment more on this?
EN: To prepare TVET graduates for the international market, a multi-faceted approach is needed, focusing on aligning training with global standards, enhancing soft skills, and fostering international collaboration. This includes updating curricula, promoting language proficiency, and facilitating international internships and exchange programmes. Namibia’s national TVET qualification development system has grown by leaps and bounds.
While a lot of work still lies ahead in terms of aligning our TVET curricula and incorporating global standards, we are confident that through robust quality assurance mechanisms, focused investments and enhanced collaboration and exchange with our international TVET partners, we will be able to generate graduates that would find employment and compete in the international market.
SK: How best will replication of training at NIMT be avoided with the opening of KVTC?
EN: Indeed, the campus of the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT) at Keetmanshoop recently partnered with PETROFUND, which is making scholarships available in TVET fields such as boilermaking, electrical engineering, fitting, and turning. However, the TVET occupational area course portfolio to be rolled out at Keetmanshoop VTC cannot in any way be considered/interpreted as a replication of NIMT Keetmanshoop’s portfolio.
It must be noted that the NTA, in developing a TVET occupational area course portfolio for the Keetmanshoop VTC, took into consideration that such a portfolio needed to align to the local/regional economic context, while at the same time taking into consideration the global emphasis on sustainable development and just energy transitions. In doing so, the NTA took into consideration inputs solicited through extensive consultations with local and regional leaders and stakeholders, as well as development partners. NIMT Keetmanshoop was one such local stakeholder group that actively participated in these consultations.
SK: How will NTA ensure the Keetmanshoop VTC becomes a mecca of excellence?
EN: The Minister’s call for Keetmanshoop VTC to be established as a TVET ‘Centre of Excellence’ aligns with expectations and policy objectives of the National TVET Policy of 2021 for higher-quality TVET, including new and reformed qualifications. Excellence is a journey, not a destination, as there will always be new goals to reach, new challenges to overcome, and new opportunities to pursue. In striving towards excellence at Keetmanshoop VTC, the NTA will need to establish an environment through which to stimulate and incentivise industry participation, provision and support. Building resonance and actively involving all stakeholders, including educators, trainees, industry partners and government bodies in decision-making processes to ensure clarity of purpose and direction, make up a key component of this journey.
In the final analysis, however, it is about positioning Keetmanshoop VTC as an institution where training quality is measured through excellence – not only in meeting but in exceeding industry expectations. That would be the litmus test.
SK: What did we leave out?
EN: There are also strong expectations that Keetmanshoop VTC aligns itself in a manner that it supports the delivery of local TVET skills as a key enabler for the //Kharas region’s ambitions to develop more than 2 000 hectares of irrigation projects at the newly constructed Neckartal Dam. This is an urgent and important national project expected to add significant value to the regional and national economy.
These are exciting expectations for the NTA and Keetmanshoop VTC. TVET Agriculture (Crop Husbandry) qualifications are available and ready for training. Additional workshops for such training at Keetmanshoop VTC are not a requirement per se, as practical training is mostly confined to the envisaged physical production scheme environment, whereas theoretical sessions could be accommodated in the existing Keetmanshoop VTC classrooms.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
