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Renewable energy

Namibia's Green Hydrogen Ambitions: Unlocking Opportunity for Local Workforce

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts, and Culture, Dino Ballotti, has emphasized the importance of local workforce participation in Namibia's green hydrogen industry, urging that at least 99% of the domestic workforce should comprise Namibians. To achieve this goal, Hyphen Hydrogen Energy has launched a Skills Census, a flagship component of its baseline studies and National Skills Audit, to compile a people-centred database of skills for the green hydrogen industry. The census aims to identify existing skills across Namibia and align them with critical skills needed to support Hyphen's project requirements.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Skills Census is a crucial initiative to compile a people-centred database of skills for the green hydrogen industry, aiming to involve at least 99% of the domestic workforce, comprising Namibians.
  • The census platform enables all Namibians to register their skills and upload relevant supporting documents, supporting the creation of a comprehensive national job seeker database for the GH2 sector.
  • The Skills Census is expected to guide the development of Hyphen's workforce strategy, customised to the specific needs of its project and the broader emerging green hydrogen sector in Namibia.
  • The data collected will be used to develop targeted training programmes and foster institutional partnerships that match education supply with industry demand, ensuring Namibian talent is well-positioned to benefit from upcoming industrial growth.
  • The green hydrogen project in the //Kharas region is expected to create approximately 15,000 jobs during construction and 3,000 permanent positions during operations.
  • The initiative has the potential to unlock job opportunities for Namibian youth, with over 70% of the population under the age of 30.
  • Training Namibian youth can prepare them for global opportunities in green hydrogen, not just for the Namibian market.
  • The Skills Census will enable Hyphen to establish a comprehensive workforce competency planning framework that pinpoints essential skills and informs tailored training programmes.

Statistics:

  • 99%: The target percentage of the domestic workforce in Namibia's green hydrogen industry that should comprise Namibians.
  • 70%: The percentage of Namibia's population that is under the age of 30.
  • 15,000: The number of jobs expected to be created during construction in the //Kharas region.
  • 3,000: The number of permanent positions expected to be created during operations in the //Kharas region.

Sources:

  • Hyphen Hydrogen Energy
  • Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN)
  • Dino Ballotti, Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts, and Culture
  • Deon Shekuza, representative of Namibia's youth and co-founder of the Namibian Youth on Renewable Energy (NAYoRE)
  • Martin Wilkinson, Hyphen Hydrogen Energy

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