Training authority funds apprentices in hospitality trade through Namibia Wildlife Resorts
Anticipating a revival of the tourism industry, Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) formalised its earlier agreement with the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) by taking in the first batch of hospitality apprentices as part of their training for the National Vocational Certificate in Hospitality and Tourism.
The first group will be trained in Core Commercial Cookery Skills, Food and Beverage Operations, Front Office Operations and Housekeeping Operations. In total, the agreement with the training authority makes provision for Wildlife Resort to offer apprenticeships to 80 students.
The authority makes funding of N$160,000 available for each student over a period of three years. Theoretical work and assessments are supported by the Okakarara Vocational Training Centre and the Homestead Skills and Technical Skills Academy in Ohangwena. Both institutions are NTA-registered.
NWR Managing Director, Dr Matthias Ngwangwama views the apprenticeship training as an important step, saying “A competitive tourism sector requires continuous training with a special focus on customer service. Over the years, we fulfilled this responsibility on an ad-hoc basis. However, with the financial support from the NTA-funded apprenticeship programme, we are now able to gain better traction in doing our part to train Namibians in this important economic sector.”
Caretaker Chief Executive of the NTA, Cornelis Beuke welcomed the NWR’s move to give effect to the earlier agreement. “Apprenticeship is a time-tested channel to provide young people with opportunities to enter high-value work-based learning. The NTA has of recent entered into many such agreements with other public and private sector partners. Namibia Wildlife Resorts did well amid COVID-19 to firm up arrangements,and we look forward to the first graduates to enter the world of work with confidence and competence,” he said.
Wildlife Resorts is also in the process of developing its own in-house training facility, the Namibia Wildlife Resorts Hospitality Institute with its main training centre at the Khorixas Rest Camp and a satellite facility at Gross Barmen Resort near Okahandja.
