President urges Team Namibia to compete

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has urged Namibia’s 17 WorldSkills competitors to represent the country with confidence, learn from the world’s best and return home with skills that will help build Namibia’s economy.

The President made the remarks yesterday during the official send-off of Team Namibia, which will represent the country at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, China.

“You have earned your place on this international stage through long hours of training and hard work. Therefore, you deserve to be there. I urge you all to compete with confidence and courage. Do not be intimidated by the scale of the global stage or the established records of other nations,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

The President said Namibia is at an important stage of its development as it works to build an inclusive economy and create sustainable jobs. “Our country presently stands at an important moment in its development, as we are actively building an inclusive, resilient economy to create sustainable opportunities, strengthen local industries and empower our people to meaningfully drive national growth,” she said.

Additionally, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is central to achieving these goals because it equips young people with practical skills needed in the labour market. She said government remains committed to strengthening TVET institutions to ensure they continue producing graduates with skills that respond to the country’s changing economic needs.

Nandi-Ndaitwah also called on institutions responsible for developing human resources to regularly assess labour market needs and identify skills shortages so that training programmes remain relevant.

She said youth empowerment and quality education are priorities of the Eighth Administration and are important for achieving the objectives of the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) and Vision 2030. “Learn from global best practices, network with your international peers, and bring back knowledge that will propel our nation forward,” she said.

She reminded the competitors that success should not only be measured by medals but also by the example they set for other young Namibians.

“I want you to remember that, while the medals you bring home will be celebrated, the true victory lies in the example you set for the young Namibian watching you today,” she said. She then assured Team Namibia that the government and the nation stand behind them as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage. WorldSkills is the world’s largest international competition for technical and vocational skills.

It is often referred to as the ‘Skills Olympics6’. Founded in 1950, the competition is held every two years and brings together young skilled professionals from more than 60 countries and regions to compete in fields ranging from engineering and manufacturing to information technology, hospitality and construction.

Namibia became a member of WorldSkills International in 2011 and joined WorldSkills Africa in 2024.

This year, Team Namibia will send 17 competitors to compete in 16 skill categories, including one team event.

–pmukokobi@nepc.com.na

The post President urges Team Namibia to compete appeared first on New Era.