Welding student of the year 2018

Yanna Smith
Marnus Kotze is a 16-year-old Namibian boy who applied for practical training at the Namibian Institute of Welding. With the advantage of his technical background and farming experience, Marnus easily settled into the working environment of the institution.

Being so young, he was exposed to rapid changes and circumstances, even though he was able to overcome them and adapt to his new life as a practical welding student. He showed good punctuality, dedication and a willingness to improve and grow.

He easily made new friends with fellow students and impressed instructors and staff members with his ability to compromise and fit in. The Namibian Institute of Welding provides practical coded welding training, which consists of three levels over a period of 21 weeks.

The institution makes use of a third-party inspector who qualifies welders by means of NDT (non-destructive testing), meaning test pieces of students are X-rayed and then interpreted. By mastering the skill of welding, Marnus successfully completed all three levels, and came back for a fourth welding process which the institution just introduced.

Marnus' personality and practical ability, as well as his safe working practices have made him a great student. No doubt he will contribute greatly to the welding and construction industry of Namibia.