WINDHOEK – The Social Security Commission (SSC) Development Fund has signed an agreement with KAYEC to train 998 unemployed Namibians over the next two years as part of the National Forklift Operator Training Programme.
Olga Katjiuongua, Manager of the Social Security Commission’s Development Fund (SSC-DF), said that a service level agreement between the SSC and KAYEC had been signed in June last year and final documents have now been signed for the transfer of funds to KAYEC to actively start the training process. The SSC-DF has availed an amount of N$4 700 000 for this project.
“Of the total 998 Namibians to be trained, 896 will receive forklift training for lift trucks, overhead cranes, truck mounted cranes and mobile cranes, while another 102 on the SSC-DF and Men of the Side of the Road databases will be educated and trained in a variety of other areas such as welding, carpentry, electrical installation and bricklaying. As you know the development fund exists to assist with training and employment schemes for the benefit of socio-economically disadvantaged persons who are unemployed and our agreement with KAYEC is one of the bigger schemes we have embarked upon to date,” said Katjiuongua.
Katjiuongua added that KAYEC would not only provide training, but must also ensure that the trained people are actively promoted to potential employers through internships, apprenticeships and other means.
“It does not help we train them and then they do not find employment. The whole objective is to get our people off the streets and into employment. Only through meaningful employment will we contribute towards our government’s vision of an educated and employed nation,” concluded Katjiuongua.