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Employers Federation to launch network for vocational training

Employers Federation to launch network for vocational training

The Namibian Employers Federation in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has commissioned Business Intelligence Africa to conduct a survey on the current practices on apprenticeship as conducted by the private sector.

Announcing that the Employers Federation has joined the Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN), the federation’s Secretary General, Tim Parkhouse said ten of their members have already indicated their willingness to join the GAN Namibia network. This country-wide network will be launched early next year.

“The Namibian Employers Federation aims to promote work readiness programmes by linking business initiatives and employment opportunities for the Namibian youth, notably through apprenticeships and internships” said Parkhouse. “This initiative is in accordance with the Harambee Prosperity Plan through the promotion of Vocational Education and Training. The establishment of the GAN Namibia network is a priority for the Employers Federation and youth employment is part of our advocacy plan” he added.

Established in 2013 in response to the global youth unemployment crisis and the need for business to ensure skills for the future, GAN is an international coalition of committed companies, international organizations and employers federations that are dedicated to work-readiness programmes with the ultimate goal of creating job opportunities for the youth and a skills base that matches labour demand.

It is a private sector coalition which ensures that the training provided and supported by businesses actually meets the demands of the labour market.

Once the GAN network is in place, the Employers Federation will use this training platform to increase the number of work-readiness opportunities for the Namibian youth. This will be done through work-based training and work experience for the youth. A further goal is to share best practices in the areas of apprenticeships, internships, mentoring and on-the-job training.

By facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogue and forging partnerships and collaborations to address skills mismatch, the Employers Federation is confident that it can contribute to national policy to boost job creation and to promote entrepreneurship through the network.

As a first step, the Employers Federation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Young Africa Foundation to promote training programmes. To advance apprenticeship, the Federation is drafting a generic Contract of Employment for apprentices to be used by all companies who participate in the GAN network.

GAN networks exist in Turkey, Indonesia, Spain, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Spain, Tanzania and Malawi.


 

 

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