‘Green industry needs more than engineers’ – youth calls

Patience Makwele

Young people have called for a seat at the green industry table, saying Namibia’s emerging industries need skills beyond engineering and that young people must be included in conversations about the country’s industrial future.

The call was made at the Green Industries Youth Forum, held in Windhoek on Friday, where students, young professionals and industry representatives discussed career opportunities and how young people can contribute to sectors such as renewable energy and green hydrogen.

Teofilus Shaduka, a young founder of cybersecurity start-up Principia Works, shared that the opportunities extend beyond those directly trained in energy-related fields.

Shaduka said he attended the forum to showcase his work and explore how cybersecurity could contribute to industries that may not immediately appear connected to his field.

“I’m not in energy, don’t know a lot about it but I do know that cybersecurity is gonna play a very big important role in it, and I’m happy to come offer my services here,” he said.

His business focuses on open-source intelligence and digital exposure assessments, examining information organisations make publicly available online and identifying potential security risks.

Shaduka’s participation highlighted the range of skills young people could bring to an industry increasingly shaped by technology, infrastructure and new energy projects.

Saimi Amutenya, president of the University of Namibia (UNAM) Physics Society and founder and director of the Green Industries Youth Forum, said the initiative was created to give young people a platform to engage with industry and follow developments in the sector.

She said young people were often left out of industry discussions, despite being among those expected to participate in and benefit from future developments.

The forum also sought to bring academic institutions and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions closer together, as the industry needs different kinds of skills.

“We’re also just trying to get our TVET as well as academia to come together, which is something that we barely see, because if we look at the green industry space, both skills are actually required for the industry,” Amutenya said.

Electrical engineering student Trymore Nyahwema said students needed to understand how the industry worked before they could prepare themselves for opportunities within it.

“For us to know what it is we are going to be doing in the future, we need to know where it started from,” he said.

Nyahwema said forums offered students an opportunity to meet professionals, ask questions and learn about developments beyond what they encounter in the classroom.

Fenni Iipumbu, a junior project developer at Hyphen, said young people needed more than general awareness of green hydrogen projects; they also needed to understand what those projects could mean for their careers.

“It’s important for the youth to attend such events… because this is a platform that allows for collaboration. It allows for meaningful engagement between the youth and industry,” she said.

Iipumbu said engaging directly with industry professionals could help young people gain a clearer picture of the opportunities available and the skills needed to pursue them.

Max Nickanor, Green Hydrogen Youth Ambassador for the Khomas Region and executive adviser at the Namibia Youth Green Hydrogen Network (NAMYGN), said the forum gave students and graduates an opportunity to engage directly with people already working in the industry.

He said these connections could help young people better understand the sector and identify ways to participate in its development.

Vivian !Nou-/Gawaseb, who follows Namibia’s emerging industries, said the forum also provided space for young people to discuss industrialisation and the relationship between green hydrogen and oil and gas.

He described the initiative as informative, noting the value of having young people actively involved in discussions about industries that will shape the country’s future.

“We are not just participants in these emerging industries, but co-creators,” he said.