FirstRand Namibia invests in vocational training

The FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust recently handed over equipment valued at N$92 000 to the Okakarara Vocational Training Centre.

“Vocational training is truly the need of the hour, especially in a country like Namibia where our students need skills to become self-reliant. I am delighted to officially hand over an embroidery machine, two T-shirt head press machines, a vinyl cutter machine, three straight-stitch sewing machines, and two overlock sewing machines to the value of N$92 000,” said Seth Maharero, branch manager of FNB Okakarara.

“Namibia needs robust interventions from all sectors of the economy to bridge the skills gap, promote the social welfare of the general populace and eradication of poverty through self-employment. This donation by FNB will enable OVTC to become even more of a community-oriented institution by being responsive to the community’s demand of quality and effective services” said Sackeus T Pohamba, VTC Head of Trainee Support.

The Okakarara Vocational Training Centre opened its doors in 1997 and is the oldest centre under the NTA. The centre conducts its operations under the realm of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Act of 2008, which makes provision for the management and control of all state-owned vocational training centres to be devolved upon the Namibia Training Authority, until such time that these centres, in the opinion of the board of directors of the NTA, are transformed into self-reliant vocational education and training providers.