Marine giant dedicated to education

Kraatz Marine Engineering has been a leader in their field since opening in 1947. In addition, the company is also been equipping future leaders of the industry for the last nine years. Since the inception of the Kraatz internship programme in 2011, more than 130 apprentices have been uplifted through the programme. The students participating generally consist of Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT) candidates who specialise in boiler making, welding, electrical and fitting & turning. Third level apprentices stay with the company for 12 months, as is stipulated in the mining and technology institute’s requirements to qualify or trade as level 4, but the programme also accepts level 1 to 3 apprentices. The interns are rotated between marine and offshore work and the land-based workshop every three months to give them as much exposure as possible in the different areas of the job. “The Kraatz internship programme continues to grow and is an integral part of the Kraatz journey of being a catalyst for positive change in a country where skills shortages appear to be one of our significant challenges. We are also dedicated to adding value locally, and skills development is our contribution,” says Roberto January, Kraatz Marine Human Resource Manager. January says Kraatz will continue with this programme for as long as the company can. “It is our contribution to a skilled workforce, and to the economic growth of our country. We gladly and passionately provide this platform for further development and sharpening of skills and expertise,” says Kraatz Managing Director, Eugene Louw. The passion for the next generation however, is not limited to their own internship programme, as Kraatz engineering proved last year. Kraatz Engineering and Namibia Breweries Limited, both subsidies of Ohlthaver & List, joined forces to provide desks for schools in need. Otjinungua Primary School, 300km north of Opuwo, was the first school to receive 25 two-seater desks along with Cimbebasia Primary School in Windhoek that received 40 two-seater desks. “As a growing school, every effort to assist us is highly appreciated,” said Cimbebasia Primary School principal, Alida van Niekerk. Kraatz Engineering caters to the structural, mechanical, piping and plate work (SMPP) needs of the mining, chemical, petro chemical industries in Namibia and other countries.

Marine giant dedicated to education

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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Marine giant dedicated to education

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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