Eenhana energises vocational training
In a move set to give impetus to vocational training in the north, Eenhana’s town council has signed an agreement to provide real and tangible experience to local students.
The Eenhana Town Council has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Eenhana Vocational Training Centre (EVTC) to provide experiential, on-the-job learning to students studying at the centre.
This was announced by the town's mayor Amos Nangolo during the inauguration ceremony of the EVTC production unit and hostel block in Eenhana late last week. The ceremony was attended by higher education minister Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi.
According to Nangolo, the partnership would complement efforts by the EVTC to provide skills which are needed by employers through employment creation, and to grow the economy by providing skilled personnel.
The EVTC has N$3.6-million worth of production facilities consisting of seven workshops with tool storage space, a storeroom for finished items, a kitchen and four bathrooms.
“The construction of the production unit at this centre will enable our trainees to learn skills and acquire knowledge on production and value-addition processes, so that they can contribute to our economy - be it in existing factories or by starting up their own businesses,” Nangolo says.
“I also wish to inform you that an agreement has been entered into between Eenhana and EVTC in order for us to take some of the trainees on job attachments for them to gain relevant skills and equip them with industrial experience. Our partnership with the EVTC is very strong and we are proud of this new development that we are witnessing today,” Nangolo said.
According to the Namibia Training Authority's (NTA) CEO Jerry Beukes the construction of the unit was done by EVTC trainees who are also involved in other various construction projects such as Egambo Resource Centre, Eembahu Rural Development Centre's steel works and the construction of the Nakayale VTC in Outapi.
Beukes said in 2016, the NTA approved a number of interim interventions under the vocational education training levy's key priority training grant whose aim is to strengthen innovative approaches to training delivery at public vocational training centres through the establishment of production units.
“The EVTC applied for the establishment of such a production unit which was approved and they were allocated with N$3.2 million for the construction. Today, the EVTC production unit is ready to accept projects in a number of trade areas, such as bricklaying and plastering, joinery and cabinet making, plumbing and pipefitting, welding and fabrication, spray-painting and panel-beating and solar installation,” says Beukes.
Kandjii-Murangi commended the EVTC for availing a production unit saying that she hopes it will go a long way in alleviating the plight of trainees outside the vocational training center. She called for a paradigm shift across all the vocational training institutions in the country to start empowering trainees with entrepreneurial skills development by offering more practical lesson sessions than theoretical ones. She said that provision of quality entrepreneurship training transform graduates from being job-seekers into job-creators and makes a huge difference in their lives.
“By doing this through vocational institutions, we will address and prevent some of the socio-economic challenges that come with unemployment, under-employment, low income levels as well as graduates' low morale. Entrepreneurship training seeks to identify and develop entrepreneurial abilities among people,” Kandjii-Murangi told delegates who attended the inauguration ceremony.
Beukes also said the EVTC that has more than 700 trainees has proven its ability to provide skilled, determined and disciplined trainees and is generating over N$1 million through the production unit.
The event was also merged with a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of N$11-million hostel facilities for the trainees. Beukes said the hostels will consist of 20 self-catering rooms for male and female students.
This was announced by the town's mayor Amos Nangolo during the inauguration ceremony of the EVTC production unit and hostel block in Eenhana late last week. The ceremony was attended by higher education minister Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi.
According to Nangolo, the partnership would complement efforts by the EVTC to provide skills which are needed by employers through employment creation, and to grow the economy by providing skilled personnel.
The EVTC has N$3.6-million worth of production facilities consisting of seven workshops with tool storage space, a storeroom for finished items, a kitchen and four bathrooms.
“The construction of the production unit at this centre will enable our trainees to learn skills and acquire knowledge on production and value-addition processes, so that they can contribute to our economy - be it in existing factories or by starting up their own businesses,” Nangolo says.
“I also wish to inform you that an agreement has been entered into between Eenhana and EVTC in order for us to take some of the trainees on job attachments for them to gain relevant skills and equip them with industrial experience. Our partnership with the EVTC is very strong and we are proud of this new development that we are witnessing today,” Nangolo said.
According to the Namibia Training Authority's (NTA) CEO Jerry Beukes the construction of the unit was done by EVTC trainees who are also involved in other various construction projects such as Egambo Resource Centre, Eembahu Rural Development Centre's steel works and the construction of the Nakayale VTC in Outapi.
Beukes said in 2016, the NTA approved a number of interim interventions under the vocational education training levy's key priority training grant whose aim is to strengthen innovative approaches to training delivery at public vocational training centres through the establishment of production units.
“The EVTC applied for the establishment of such a production unit which was approved and they were allocated with N$3.2 million for the construction. Today, the EVTC production unit is ready to accept projects in a number of trade areas, such as bricklaying and plastering, joinery and cabinet making, plumbing and pipefitting, welding and fabrication, spray-painting and panel-beating and solar installation,” says Beukes.
Kandjii-Murangi commended the EVTC for availing a production unit saying that she hopes it will go a long way in alleviating the plight of trainees outside the vocational training center. She called for a paradigm shift across all the vocational training institutions in the country to start empowering trainees with entrepreneurial skills development by offering more practical lesson sessions than theoretical ones. She said that provision of quality entrepreneurship training transform graduates from being job-seekers into job-creators and makes a huge difference in their lives.
“By doing this through vocational institutions, we will address and prevent some of the socio-economic challenges that come with unemployment, under-employment, low income levels as well as graduates' low morale. Entrepreneurship training seeks to identify and develop entrepreneurial abilities among people,” Kandjii-Murangi told delegates who attended the inauguration ceremony.
Beukes also said the EVTC that has more than 700 trainees has proven its ability to provide skilled, determined and disciplined trainees and is generating over N$1 million through the production unit.
The event was also merged with a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of N$11-million hostel facilities for the trainees. Beukes said the hostels will consist of 20 self-catering rooms for male and female students.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article