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Employers Federation brings Global Apprenticeship Network to local companies

Employers Federation brings Global Apprenticeship Network to local companies

In support of its members’ massive contribution to technical and vocational training, the Namibian Employers Federation this week launched the Namibian office of the Global Apprenticeship Network.

The network assists industrial companies to support vocational training for the youth to help them qualify for technical jobs.

The launch was addressed by the Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment, Hon Erkki Nghimtina. His remarks were amplified by the President of the Employers Federation, Elia Shikongo, and by the Pretoria-based regional ILO employer specialist, Maria Machaillo-Ellis.

Machaillo-Ellis delivered a message on behalf of the Apprenticeship Network’s Executive Director, Ms Shea Gopaul, welcoming Namibia to the Global Apprenticeship Network, and giving an overview of the many milestones the network has achieved in the countries where it is present.

The highlight of the evening was when Hon Nahas Angula released the Apprentices Survey, done for the first time in Namibia by Business Intelligence Africa. The first initiative by the Employers Federation in partnership with the Apprenticeship Network, the so-called Toolkit for Employers on Apprenticeships, was then introduced by the federation.

The launch was attended by 85 participants from various sectors including NEF members, development partners, and representatives of the EU and the Finnish Embassy.

An overview of the Apprentices Survey was presented by Karen Fietz, the Key Accounts Manager at Business Intelligence Africa. The survey was commissioned to determine current practices and challenges when companies want to increase their number of apprentices.

Two interns, Bella Mupurua, the GAN Namibia Social Media intern at the NEF, and Victoria Petrus, an intern at the Namibia University of Science and Technology, told the audience about their experiences and their appreciation of practical internships.

At the end of the formalities, a panel discussion facilitated by the Namibia Training Authority looked at “Private Sector Involvement to Promote TVET for Economic Expansion and Development.”


Caption
Front row, from the left, intern Victoria Petrus, Master of Ceremony, Sylvanie Beukes, Hon Nahas Angula, former Marketing & Communications expert at the Namibian Employers Federation, Helena Veico, NEF President, Elia Shikongo, Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment, Hon Erkki Nghimtina, NEF Secretary General, Tim Parkhouse, ILO Employers specialist from the Pretoria office, Maria Machaillo-Ellis, and NUNW Secretary General, Job Muniaro.


 

 

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