WorldSkills team off to South Korea
Joseph Nakatumbe, Fanuel Mathias, Rakel Amuteny and Erkana Imene with the acting CEO of the Namibia Training Authority, Mr Jerry Beukes (centre) when the announcement was made that these four will represent Namibia at the WorldSkills competition in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in August. They will be accompanied by the WorldSkills technical delegate, Sens Shoolongo.
Rakel Amutenya, Joseph Nakatumbe, Fanuel Mathias and Erkana Imene will represent Namibia in bricklaying, joinery, general electricity installation and plumbing respectively. Amutenya is the only female team member and is a trainee at the NamWater Human Resources Development Centre outside Okahandja. Nakatumbe is enrolled at the Namibia Institute for Mining and Technology (NIMT), and Imene is enrolled at the Rundu Vocational Training Centre, respectively. Amutenya, Nakatumbe and Imene are on their way to South Korea for intensive training with members of the South Korean team. Mathias has just returned from a similar training session at a South African institution. In his sending-off message to the three competitors, NTA acting CEO Jerry Beukes said, “Our maiden participation in WorldSkills International is indeed a proud and historical moment, not only for the local technical and vocational training fraternity, but for our country as a whole. As such, these young Namibians deserve our full support.” Beukes encouraged the competitors to serve as true ambassadors for their country, whilst in South Korea. “Embrace this opportunity and go to South Korea with a consciousness of teamwork and togetherness.” WorldSkills International is an international skills competition for youth that is held in a different country every two years. Competitors aged 17 to 22 demonstrate their excellence in a number of different skilled trades and technology contest areas. These competitions attempt to raise awareness about technical and vocational professions to encourage the youth to explore such training and career opportunities. The 43rd WorldSkills competition will take place at Anhembi Parque in São Paulo from 11 to 16 August 2015. It is the first time a Namibian team participates.
