N$127 million KVTC inaugurated

Twelfth regional VTC gets going in //Kharas
260 Trainees from over 1 300 applications to get industry-relevant, job-ready skills
Augetto Graig
  • 2 Days Ago

The state-of-the-art Keetmanshoop Vocational Training Centre (KVTC) was officially inaugurated by Namibia’s Vice-President, Lucia Witbooi, in March, in the heart of the //Kharas Region.

The long-awaited centre ultimately cost N$127 million after years of construction and repeated increases in government investment.

Witbooi described the occasion as historic and auspicious, and a clear testament to the Namibian government’s commitment to quality vocational training and the development of relevant skills necessary for today’s job market.

Witbooi said that “these efforts are aimed at ensuring that our training system produces graduates whose skills respond directly to the needs of our economy”.

By 2030, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector aims to increase alignment of graduate skills with industry needs from 65% to 70%, she added.

Specifically, the KVTC will play a critical role in “equipping our youth with practical, industry-relevant competencies required in emerging sectors such as green hydrogen, oil and gas, and modern agriculture”, she said.

“Government has committed to constructing Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) in all 14 regions of Namibia as part of the national TVET sector transformation and expansion strategy.”

With the inauguration, the //Kharas Region becomes the twelfth region to host its own government VTC, Witbooi said.

“The TVET sector is evolving rapidly, and the demand for technical and vocational skills continues to grow across many established industries,” Witbooi said, adding that new skills demands are emerging from major macroeconomic development initiatives, most notably in the green hydrogen and oil and gas sectors. “We must keep pace with these evolving needs, and we must do so in a manner that maximises impact while unlocking opportunity for our people.”


Developing critical skills

The Keetmanshoop Vocational Training Centre is strategically positioned to develop critical skills for the emerging green hydrogen and oil and gas sectors, she said. “I call upon our local and national industry partners and employers to collaborate with this centre.”

At the same occasion, Benedictus Diergaardt, centre manager of KVTC, said: “Today marks a historic and deeply meaningful milestone, not only for me as head of the centre, but for the people of Keetmanshoop, the //Kharas Region, and Namibia at large. It signifies the realisation of a long-awaited vision to bring accessible, quality vocational education and training closer to our communities.”

Currently, KVTC has the capacity to accommodate over 400 trainees, which aligns with available infrastructure and resources.

“We received an overwhelming response of more than 1 300 applications from across the country, clearly demonstrating the demand for vocational training. We have currently registered 260 trainees, but will increase this number in the near future,” Diergaardt said.

Facilities available at KVTC include four fully equipped workshops, classrooms and training spaces, hostel accommodation for trainees, ablution facilities, and administrative offices.


Courses on offer

Courses offered include water supply, sanitation and desalination; mechanical engineering, including fitting and machining; solar installation and maintenance; and electrical engineering, including electronics. Vocational skills in information and communication technology, welding and metal fabrication, logistics and supply chain management, and occupational health and safety are also on offer.

“These programmes are designed to be both industry-relevant and aligned with national skills development priorities,” Diergaardt said. “The trades we offer are aligned with industry needs, ensuring that our trainees acquire practical, job-ready skills. With new industries emerging, there will be consistent demand in these sectors. Once trainees complete their training, they will be in demand.

“We also encourage entrepreneurship, enabling graduates to start their own businesses and contribute to local economic development,” Diergaardt said.

KVTC currently offers training up to Level 5 qualifications under the national vocational education framework. “These levels provide a solid foundation of both theoretical knowledge and practical competencies,” Diergaardt said, adding that “as the centre grows, we aim to expand our offerings to higher levels”.

One of the trainees, Marlon Binga, who turned 21 on the Wednesday preceding the inauguration, plans to specialise in electrical and mechanical fitting to broaden the scope of where his newly acquired skills can be applied.

“Over the next ten years, I expect substantial growth in Namibia’s processing and manufacturing sector, and rapid industrialisation due to an influx of properly trained artisans. That is what I am expecting. I expect new skills-based businesses to emerge,” the hopeful young man said.