Kraatz, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, has started its first apprenticeship intake for the year 2024. This intake sees 10 promising young Namibians embark on a six-month apprenticeship journey as part of Kraatz’s ongoing commitment to developing skilled professionals and future leaders.

 The apprenticeship programme, now in its 12th year, aligns with Kraatz’s characteristics of being authentic, caring and passionate in building Namibia’s industrial capacity.  The apprenticeship provides in-depth, practical training across several essential trades, focusing on boilermaking, fitting and turning, and the electrical trade. The students, selected from Namibian vocational training institutes, will rotate through various business units within Kraatz for the duration of six months. This rotation ensures the apprentices gain comprehensive exposure to real-world challenges in the industrial, mining and marine and offshore industries. 

Since its inception in 2011, the Kraatz Apprenticeship Programme has been instrumental in preparing students for the work environment, enabling them to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings. Through on-the-job training, the apprentices hone their skills, develop expertise and gain valuable workplace exposure, ensuring they are well-prepared to meet the demands of Namibia’s growing industries. 

This programme is aligned with Kraatz’s focus on fostering growth, one of O&L’s breakthrough behaviours, and underscores the company’s commitment to adding value to the lives of these apprentices, not only at a professional level, but also on a personal and community scale.  As part of Kraatz’s social responsibility, this initiative seeks to enhance the skillsets of Namibia’s youth, thereby contributing to the country’s industrialisation efforts.  While the apprenticeship does not culminate in formal certification, the real-world experience and skills gained during this programme will equip the apprentices to pursue careers as qualified artisans in boilermaking, fitting and turning, and electrical trades.