TVET week to advocate for silent sector

Iréne-Mari van der Walt

The Namibia Training Authority is collaborating with the Global Apprentice Network, and the Namibia Employers’ Federation hosted their TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) week in hopes of linking potential apprentices with potential employers.

At the opening function, the minister of higher education, Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi, reiterated the importance of TVET and allowing apprentices to sharpen their capabilities through on-the-job training.

“I am particularly encouraged by the wide array of TVET stakeholders from various economic sectors and from other parts of the world who have travelled all the way to witness and participate in this historic occasion. Your participation, both physically and virtually, is a clear demonstration of the importance you attach to Namibia’s endeavour to leverage apprenticeships within our national TVET regime,” said Dr Kandjii-Murangi.

She called for refocused attention of the job market on TVET and apprenticeship.

“One of the biggest challenges in developing skills for the labour market is to ensure that learning meets the needs of the workplace.

“One of the best ways of doing this is to make the fullest use of the workplace as a powerful learning environment, and to find effective mechanisms to link employer interest to the mix of training provision.

“After a period of relative neglect in many countries, and indeed in Namibia, apprenticeships and other forms of work-based learning are experiencing a revival. This rebirth can be ascribed to a common recognition of the well-known effectiveness of apprenticeships in easing school-to-work transition, but also increasingly because of their particular capacity to develop skills closely tied to labour market needs,” she said.

Nazrene Mannie of the Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN Global) encouraged Africans to ensure that they are not shy to claim what is rightfully theirs. “Africa must claim its space,” she said.

She believes it to be imperative that the education and training sector allow TVET and apprenticeships to regain their dignity.

“This is the responsibility of teachers, parents and learners. We must ensure that young people see hope in the future,” she said.

Cheryl James of the Skills Initiative for Africa believes that the German dual apprenticeship model cannot be sustainable in Namibia. She also advocated for social support for ‘gig workers’ and urged the sector to be aware of market demands.

“If the system is not responsive, we are training millions of people for unemployment. Apprenticeships have to be driven by industry need,” she said.